MAAP #154: Illegal Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon – 2022 update
Illegal gold mining reached crisis levels in the southern Peruvian Amazon in 2017 and 2018, clearing over 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) in the most critically impacted area, known as La Pampa (located in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve,…
MAAP #151: Illegal Mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon
In this report, we report on illegal gold mining activity in the Ecuadorian Amazon, building off our previous reports on Peru (MAAP #130) and Brazil (MAAP #116). The Base Map shows the two new cases presented below: Yutzupino (Napo province)…
MAAP #140: Detecting illegal gold mining in rivers with specialized satellites
Illegal gold mining is a widespread problem in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region), where it has caused river contamination and the deforestation of more than 100,000 hectares. This activity has also emerged in the northern Peruvian Amazon…
MAAP #137: New Illegal Gold Mining Hotspot in Peruvian Amazon – Pariamanu
In 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury to confront the illegal gold mining crisis in the southern Amazonian area known as La Pampa (Madre de Dios region). As a result, deforestation decreased 90% in this critical area (MAAP# 130).…
MAAP #130: Illegal Gold Mining Down 78% in Peruvian Amazon, But Still Threatens Key Areas
As part of USAID’s Prevent Project (dedicated to combating environmental crimes in the Amazon), we conducted an updated analysis of illegal gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon. In early 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury, an unprecedented…
MAAP #121: Reduction of Illegal Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon
Thanks to the support of the USAID, via the Prevent Project, dedicated to the prevention and combat of environmental crimes in the Amazon, we conducted a detailed analysis of recent illegal gold mining deforestation in the southern Peruvian Amazon. The…
MAAP #116: Amazon Gold Mining, Part 2: Brazil
We present the second part of our series on Amazon gold mining, with a focus on the Brazil* Specifically, we focus on mining in indigenous territories in the Brazilian Amazon. Extractive activities, such as gold mining, are constitutionally not permitted…
MAAP #115: Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon, part 1: Peru
In a new series, we highlight the main illegal gold mining frontiers in the Amazon. Here, in part 1, we focus on Peru. In the upcoming part 2, we will look at Brazil. The Base Map indicates our focus areas…
MAAP #104: Major Reduction in Illegal Gold Mining from Peru’s Operation Mercury
In February 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury (OperaciĂłn Mercurio), a major multi-sectoral crackdown on the illegal gold mining crisis in the area known as La Pampa,* located in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region). Note that…
MAAP #96: Gold Mining Deforestation at Record High Levels in Southern Peruvian Amazon
Gold mining deforestation has been at record high levels in both 2017 and 2018 in the southern Peruvian Amazon. Based on an analysis of nearly 500 high-resolution satellite images (from Planet and DigitalGlobe), we estimate the deforestation of 18,440 hectares …