Gold Mining Causes Long-Lasting Damage in Amazon Rainforest

Gold Mining Causes Long-Lasting Damage in Amazon Rainforest
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A recent study reveals that gold mining in Peru’s Amazon rainforest causes severe, lasting environmental damage, hindering forest recovery, Earth.com reported. Researchers from the Woodwell Climate Research Center and partner institutions studied suction mining sites in Madre de Dios, near Brazil and Bolivia’s borders. This method blasts soil with water cannons, stripping away nutrient-rich topsoil and drastically drying the land.

The team found that water drains through sand piles left by mining up to 100 times faster than in natural forest soil, and these areas lose moisture quickly after rain. Ground temperatures on exposed sand piles reached 145°F (60°C), creating conditions too harsh for young trees to survive. These factors explain why reforestation efforts have largely failed.

Between 1980 and 2017, over 95,000 hectares of rainforest were lost to small-scale gold mining in Madre de Dios. Scientists recommend reshaping the land—flattening sand piles and filling ponds—to retain moisture and improve vegetation survival, emphasizing that planting trees alone is insufficient for restoring the Amazon.