Beneath The Surface of Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon
Date of Publication
1-1-2023 12:00 AM
Security Theme
Illegal Mining
Keywords
Brazil, Caribbean, China, Dutch, Environmental Crime, Guyana, Illegal mining, money laundering, Venezuela
Description
As gold prices have skyrocketed, a boom in mining across the Amazon Basin has flourished, leaving a deep environmental footprint. Illegal mining has become one of the main drivers of deforestation in the Amazon, above all in Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. Though it contributes to forest loss in Bolivia and Ecuador as well, it is not the main driver.There are three forms of mining-driven deforestation in the Amazon Basin: large-scale industrial gold mining, medium-scale mining, and artisanal, small-scale mining (ASGM). The most recent data available from the Referenced Socio-Environmental Information Network (RAISG) shows that there are at least 4,472 illegal mining sites across the region. Some sites cover several square kilometers.The activity follows three main steps: extraction, transportation, and transformation/commercialization. First, gold is extracted by poorly paid miners, who work in rudimentary conditions. In many cases, they work under the control of NSAGs. Then, the metal is transported onward. It is laundered or “transformed” along the way. The origins of illicit Venezuelan gold are covered up as it is moved through Guyana, Suriname, and Colombia. Eventually, gold and other metals reach international markets, where they are legally sold. In December 2021, a kilogram of gold fetched up to $57,152.
Beneath The Surface of Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon
As gold prices have skyrocketed, a boom in mining across the Amazon Basin has flourished, leaving a deep environmental footprint. Illegal mining has become one of the main drivers of deforestation in the Amazon, above all in Venezuela, Guyana, and Suriname. Though it contributes to forest loss in Bolivia and Ecuador as well, it is not the main driver.There are three forms of mining-driven deforestation in the Amazon Basin: large-scale industrial gold mining, medium-scale mining, and artisanal, small-scale mining (ASGM). The most recent data available from the Referenced Socio-Environmental Information Network (RAISG) shows that there are at least 4,472 illegal mining sites across the region. Some sites cover several square kilometers.The activity follows three main steps: extraction, transportation, and transformation/commercialization. First, gold is extracted by poorly paid miners, who work in rudimentary conditions. In many cases, they work under the control of NSAGs. Then, the metal is transported onward. It is laundered or “transformed” along the way. The origins of illicit Venezuelan gold are covered up as it is moved through Guyana, Suriname, and Colombia. Eventually, gold and other metals reach international markets, where they are legally sold. In December 2021, a kilogram of gold fetched up to $57,152.
