Small-scale gold mining is one of the pieces of a complex geographical and social mosaic. In a larger view of the landscape, many activities coexist with gold mining. Agriculture, cattle-ranching, logging, taken altogether, these all produce deep landscape alterations and form the so-called arco de desmatamento da Amazônia (Amazonian deforestation frontier). The profound relationship between gold mining and environmental degradation is one of the main axes of conflict, negotiation, and action strategies between multiple actors. A crucial aspect of this relationship regards the introduction of heavy machinery that permits the removal of a larger amount of topsoil in less time than occurs when mining is by hand. This has heavy repercussions on the deforestation rate. Another environmental impact of gold mining is caused by the use of mercury during the last phases of gold extraction, which is a threat to human and ecosystem’s health. Mining terrains extend to water; riverbeds and watersheds act as connectors of mining operations, contributing to the spread of the negative impacts of mining beyond the space of the garimpo itself.
A devastating snake in the lush green of the jungle
In the Jungle of Suriname, small-scale gold mining can create wide strips of mud puddles and sand heaps. The country prides itself on the fact that 90% of its surface is jungle.
Machinery used in a garimpo
The activity has changed from “garimpo manual” (artisanal) into “garimpo de maquinário” (mechanized small-scale mining). Today, an excavator operator receives a daily wage whereas the other workers (locally called “peão”, peon) receive a percentage of the garimpo’s profit, as is tradition.
1/5 The last phases of gold extraction
During these phases, garimpeiros use mercury to separate gold from mud. The dispersion of mercury into the natural environment (through air and water) represents a risk to human and ecosystem’s health. Garimpeiros wash the gold-containing carpets from the sluice box in a big bucket.
2/5 Adding mercury
After moving the bucket to an open pool, they add mercury to the mixture.
3/5 Bare handmixing
Then they mix it with their bare hands without any protection. The mercury captures the gold from the mud and forms an amalgam.
4/5 Washing material
Garimpeiros then proceed to wash and mix the material in the pan. They are immersed up to their waist into the pool.
5/5 Burning amalgam
Amalgam is burnt to obtain the gold extracted during the day. Despite the availability of safer tools, such as retorts, this garimpeiro preferred burning the amalgam in the open air. The retort is an enclosed environment that keep toxic vapours inside, while recycling the mercury for future use.
Surface mining operations in Castelo dos Sonhos
Generally, the excavator removes overburden and stockpiles ore in the mining area. Also, the excavated material is directly pumped in pulp with water on to sluice boxes.
Sluice box
A typical gold processing system. The excavated material is pumped in pulp with water directly on to the sluice. Gold particles and other heavy minerals are captured by the carpets of the sluice.
A big dredge
One of the dredges (dragas in Portuguese) observed by Carlos Henrique during the field research in Creporizão. In this region, miners associated with a local garimpeiros’ cooperative use dredges, which are floating platforms. Amalgamation is used on board to separate the gold from the concentrated sediments.
Buy your diesel here
A mobile fuel station located at a strategic point of the Crepori River. According to the garimpeiros, this location facilitates the logistics of purchasing diesel fuel.
Crepori river and rabeta
A rabeta is a traditional boat commonly used in the Amazon. This river marks the boundary with the Floresta Nacional do Crepori, a 742.197-hectares protected area. The river constitutes a natural barrier that defines different land uses: garimpo on one side and conservation unit on the other.
1/3 No wildlife here
Close to the Brownsweg National Park, world renowned for its rich flora and fauna, is the Krikinegi mining area. After years of intensive gold mining, the landscape hardly reminds one of tropical forest anymore; we did not see much wildlife here either.
2/3 Fence delimiting a livestock farm
In the last forty years since the beginning of the colonization, the Amazon has been reshaped by resource extraction, large-scale agriculture and ranching. This property-making process is related to the building of roads where people, gold and products move.
3/3 A Brazil nut tree
A Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) in a livestock farm. This species has been protected by law since 1994 and is a symbol for the sustainable management of forests. For this reason, landowners cut down other trees with the exception of the Brazil nut tree.
