Gold Mining Expands 24 Times on Amazon Indigenous Lands

Gold mining in the Brazilian Amazon expanded to an area 20 times larger in 2024 than in 1985. The growth rate was significantly higher on Indigenous lands. Mining coverage on these territories increased by 24 times since 1985. Between 2016 and 2024, the area under mining on Indigenous lands nearly sevenfold. Record-high gold prices drove this renewed rush for extraction. Investors sought safe assets amid rising global risks. This demand intensified deforestation and mercury contamination.

A new analysis by the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, or IPAM, released the data on Tuesday. The nonprofit reported that mining activities are aggravating climate risks for local communities. Climate change has already intensified droughts and heat in the region. Extreme weather events now threaten access to water and food. Expanding illegal mining further contaminates rivers and accelerates environmental degradation. These factors weaken the ability of Indigenous communities to adapt to changing conditions.

Concentration in Munduruku territory

Almost 90% of the affected area is concentrated in three specific territories. One of these is the Munduruku Indigenous Territory in the state of Para. Representatives of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights visited Para earlier this month. They held hearings with Munduruku leaders to assess Brazil’s compliance with protective measures. Leaders presented satellite imagery and field reports showing illegal miners returned to the area. Federal operations in 2024 and 2025 had previously expelled these miners.

Munduruku leaders reported severe health impacts from the renewed mining activity. Malaria cases have surged in the region. Infant mortality rates have risen. Mercury contamination is linked to delays in children’s language and motor development. Indigenous watchdogs identified 10 new illegal mining sites in the territory as of August. These findings highlight the persistent challenge of enforcement in remote areas.

Government enforcement faces limits

Brazilian authorities under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have stepped up efforts to combat illegal mining. Police and environmental agencies have carried out major operations targeting criminal networks. Investigators increasingly use forensic science to trace illegally mined gold. Despite these measures, enforcement has not eliminated illegal mining across the Amazon. Miners often move to new locations or resume operations after officials leave.

The Ministry of Human Rights stated that officials attended the recent hearings. They discussed continued territorial enforcement and improvements to water supply and food safety. The ministry acknowledged the need for a more detailed technical response to mercury contamination. Brazilian law prohibits mining on Indigenous lands. The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, or Apib, stated that protecting the territory requires more than removing invaders.

Criminal economy drives extraction

Apib described the activity as part of a transnational criminal economy. Armed groups control extraction in these regions. Gold and drugs move along the same river routes. Mining permits are often used to provide a veneer of legality to illegally extracted gold. This structural issue complicates simple enforcement strategies. The source for this analysis is GN auto markets/commodities: gold prices, which tracks the financial drivers behind such extraction rushes. The interplay between global commodity prices and local environmental damage remains a critical issue.