A recent surge in gold prices has triggered a renewed mining rush in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, leading to increased deforestation in protected areas and heightened mercury contamination risks, according to officials and experts cited in a new study released by Amazon Conservation and Instituto Socioambiental [1]. The study, which utilized satellite imagery and ground research, identified illegal mining as the driver of clear-cutting inside three conservation areas in the Xingu region, one of the world's largest protected forests spanning the states of Para and Mato Grosso [1].
The Terra do Meio Ecological Station recorded its first illegal mining cases in September 2024, with mining-related deforestation expanding to 30 hectares (74 acres) by the end of 2025 [1]. In the Altamira National Forest, illegal mining led to 832 hectares (2,056 acres) of deforestation between 2016 and September 2025, with a new mining front in 2024 accounting for nearly half of the mining-related deforestation in that unit during 2025 [1]. The Nascentes da Serra do Cachimbo Biological Reserve saw illegal mining grow from 2 hectares (5 acres) to at least 26.8 hectares (66 acres) in 2025, with satellite monitoring detecting a clandestine airstrip used by miners [1].
Since 2018, approximately 496,000 hectares (1,225,640 acres) of rainforest have been cleared for mining across the Amazon, including about 223,000 hectares (551,045 acres) in the Brazilian Amazon, according to Amazon Conservation [1]. The organization estimates that 80% of mining-related deforestation in Brazil is likely illegal [1]. Despite mining being a relatively small driver of overall deforestation compared to agribusiness, its impact is significant due to its focus on protected areas and Indigenous territories [1]. In 2025, 579,600 hectares (1,432 acres) of the Brazilian Amazon were cleared, with about 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) attributed to mining [1].
Experts warn that continued forest loss could accelerate global warming, and protecting Indigenous territories is seen as an effective way to curb deforestation in the Amazon, a key global climate regulator [1]. In 2023, Brazilian authorities launched a major crackdown on illegal gold mining in the Yanomami Indigenous territory [1].
CONCLUSION
The surge in gold prices has intensified illegal mining activity in Brazil's Amazon, resulting in significant deforestation and environmental risks, particularly in protected and Indigenous areas. While mining is not the largest driver of deforestation, its targeted impact on sensitive regions raises serious concerns for climate regulation and Indigenous rights. Ongoing monitoring and enforcement actions remain critical to addressing these challenges.