Illegal miners extract billions in Amazon gold despite Brazil crackdown, Greenpeace finds
A Greenpeace study reveals that illegal gold mining in Brazil's Amazon continues to thrive, despite government crackdowns. Billions of dollars worth of gold have been extracted using fraudulent permits, particularly affecting Indigenous lands. The situation remains dire as miners adapt to regulations, leading to environmental degradation and health risks for local communities.
- ▪Greenpeace found that illegal miners extracted gold worth an estimated $3.88 billion using ghost permits.
- ▪Brazil's Federal Police seized a record 447 kg of illegally mined gold last year.
- ▪Many of the permits issued by the Brazilian mining agency showed no signs of actual mining activity.
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Illegal miners extract billions in Amazon gold despite Brazil crackdown, Greenpeace findsSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPublished May 29, 2026, 11:09 AMUpdated May 29, 2026, 11:09 AMITAITUBA, Brazil, May 29 - Billions of dollars worth of gold is still being extracted illegally from Brazil's Amazon rainforest, a study by nonprofit watchdog Greenpeace found, despite efforts by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to crack down on wildcat mining.Lula pledged upon taking office in 2023 to eliminate illegal gold mining from Indigenous lands and protected areas after years of expansion encouraged by far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.