Peru's Operation Mercury stopped most illegal gold mining in one

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a lifeline for many who live in Madre de Dios, a region in southeastern Peru, where poverty is high and jobs are scarce. But the economic development in this part of the basin comes at a cost, as it causes deforestation, build up of sediment in rivers, and mercury contamination in nearby watersheds, threatening public health, Indigenous peoples, and the future of the biodiversity hotspot. And much of the mining activity is unauthorized.

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Deforestation Due to Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining

forests capture high levels of atmospheric mercury

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Peru cracks down on illegal gold mining - SWI

Gold mining leaves heart of Peruvian a wasteland

Peru Launches 'Sustained' Crack-down on Illegal Mining in