Gold fever is destroying the Amazon rainforest

About this episode

The episode discusses the detrimental effects of illegal gold mining on the Amazon rainforest and local communities in Peru.

As gold prices have quadrupled over the past decade, miners across the globe are scrambling to cash in. But the boom has cast a dark shadow across South America's Amazon rainforest. Illegal mining has spiraled out of control in Peru, where more than 40 percent of exported gold is sourced unlawfully, according to an official government survey. Methods used to extract the precious metal are inflicting severe damage on the environment ― including mercury contamination ― and harming local communities. An NHK World crew traveled to the front lines where authorities are trying to crack down on illegal operations.

Topics covered

• gold mining
• environmental impact
• illegal mining
• Amazon rainforest
• local communities
• mercury contamination

Keywords

• gold prices
• illegal mining
• Amazon rainforest
• environmental damage
• mercury contamination
• Peru
• local communities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NHK World

Places: Amazon rainforest, Peru

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