Mining

            While mining does not cause as much deforestation as agriculture, its environmental impact is often far more severe. Unlike farming, where some ecological function might remain, mining leaves behind a dead landscape.  No topsoil, no vegetation, not even weeds or insects (Killeen, 2023).  In this sense, the destruction is absolute.

            But mining doesn’t just damage the land.  It pollutes air, water, and ecosystems. Extraction activities release heavy metals from the soil, generating toxic contamination, including mercury, lead, and arsenic (Killeen, 2023).  Additionally, mining contributes to particulate air pollution, sediment runoff, and noise pollution—all of which disrupt surrounding habitats.

            Another major concern, is the infrastructure mining brings: roads, airstrips, and transport hubs. These developments don’t just fragment forests.  They also enable agricultural expansion, amplifying long-term deforestation risk (Sullivan, 2017).

Gold Mining: Informal and Corporate Impact

            The most intensively mined mineral in the Amazon is gold, with most operations concentrated in the central Amazon, especially in Brazil, the region’s leading gold producer (Goulding et al., 2003; Killeen, 2023). Much of this activity is placer mining, which extracts gold from riverbeds.  A method that often involves mercury and causes severe aquatic ecosystem damage (Killeen, 2023).

            Some gold is dredged directly from rivers, causing massive habitat destruction for fish and aquatic plants (Goulding et al., 2003). Most of this mining is done by small-scale, often informal groups known as wildcat miners, whose operations may or may not be legal (Killeen, 2023).

            In contrast, the corporate gold sector is dominated by Newmont Corporation, which claims a commitment to “sustainable mining” (Newmont, n.d.)—a term many environmentalists regard as an oxymoron.  Especially given that Newmont has been linked to forced evictions of local residents near proposed mining sites (Killeen, 2023).

Other Minerals: Bauxite and Polymetallic Ores

            While gold gets the most attention, a significant share of mining in the Amazon targets polymetallic ores—rock deposits containing multiple metals. These ores are typically processed with sulfuric acid and often contain copper, iron, and manganese. They are most commonly found in the Andean regions of the Amazon Basin (Killeen, 2023).

            Another major mineral is bauxite, the ore used to produce aluminum. Bauxite is generally extracted from the Amazon Craton, a vast geological formation in the southern Amazon (Killeen, 2023).

            The largest company involved in both bauxite and polymetallic mining is Vale S.A., which—like Newmont—claims to practice sustainable mining. To support this claim, the company established a nature preserve (Vale, n.d.), though such efforts often fail to offset the direct and indirect destruction caused by its operations.

The Problem with “Green Steel”

            One more player is worth mentioning: Aço Verde do Brasil, a company that advertises its product as “green steel.” Unlike conventional steel, which is made using coal, Aço Verde uses charcoal made from eucalyptus plantations in the Amazon (Killeen, 2023). While marketed as sustainable, this model raises ethical concerns: eucalyptus plantations replace natural forests and reduce biodiversity, creating a greenwashed version of deforestation.

References:

Killeen Timothy J.(2023) A Perfect Storm in the Amazon Wilderness Second Edition

Sullivan, Zoe. (November 2, 2017) Mining activity causing nearly 10 percent of Amazon deforestation *Mongabay

https://news.mongabay.com/2017/11/mining-activity-causing-nearly-10-percent-of-amazon-deforestation/

Goulding Michael, Barthem Ronaldo, Ferreira Efrem (2003) The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon

Newmont

https://www.newmont.com/home/default.aspx

Vale

https://vale.com/