Indigenous lands in the Brazilian Amazon are facing the most significant expansion of gold mining, according to an analysis released by the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM). The area impacted by gold mining across the Amazon region has grown 20-fold since 1985.
On Indigenous lands specifically, mining operations covered 24 times more territory between 1985 and 2024, with nearly a sevenfold increase occurring between 2016 and 2024 alone. This rapid expansion is attributed to record-high gold prices, fueled by investor demand for safe assets amidst increasing global risks, which has triggered a new mining rush in the Amazon.
The surge in mining activities is intensifying climate risks for Indigenous communities. Climate change has already led to more severe droughts and heatwaves in the Amazon, impacting water access, food security, transportation, and healthcare. The IPAM report highlights that expanding illegal mining further contaminates rivers, accelerates environmental degradation, and contributes to health problems and violence, thereby diminishing the capacity of Indigenous communities to adapt.
Munduruku Territory Under Pressure
Nearly 90% of the affected area is concentrated in three territories, with the Munduruku Indigenous Territory in the northern state of Pará being one of them. Representatives from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights visited Pará earlier this month to assess Brazil's adherence to provisional measures aimed at protecting Indigenous rights.
Munduruku leaders presented evidence, including satellite imagery and field reports, indicating the return of illegal gold miners to their territory despite federal operations in 2024 and 2025 aimed at expelling them. They also reported a rise in malaria cases, increased infant mortality rates, and mercury contamination affecting children's language and motor development.
Government Efforts and Ongoing Challenges
Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazilian authorities have increased efforts to combat illegal mining through major operations targeting criminal networks and employing forensic science to trace gold. However, enforcement has not eradicated the problem.
When mining equipment is destroyed in one location, miners frequently relocate or resume operations once authorities depart. Indigenous watchdogs identified 10 new illegal mining sites in the Munduruku territory as of August.
Brazil's Ministry of Human Rights acknowledged the situation in a statement on September 10, discussing territorial enforcement, improvements to water supply and food safety, and the need for a more comprehensive technical response to mercury contamination.
Under Brazilian law, mining is prohibited on Indigenous lands. The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib) stated that protecting the Munduruku territory requires more than just removing invaders, emphasizing that the activity is part of a transnational criminal economy involving armed groups and the co-mingling of gold and drug trafficking routes, with mining permits often used to legitimize illegally extracted gold.