InfoAmazonia visited location where illegal mercury is sold along the border between Bolivia and Brazil, for illegal use by wildcat gold mining operations in Amazonia. After the Minamata Convention, Bolivia became the world’s largest mercury importer and it is estimated that half of the metal is sold as contraband to neighboring countries including Brazil, which has eliminated its legal mercury imports.
Category: Indigenous lands
A legacy of broken promises
Lindaura Cariajano Chuje scrambled up the riverbank and strode into the forest, following a path only she could see. A step ahead of her, a young man with a machete cleared the way as she gave instructions: A little to the left, a bit to the right, now straight ahead. It was a muggy morning […]
Study reveals how Illegal cattle from Brazilian indigenous land goes to the shelves of French supermarket chain
A French court received new complaints in a groundbreaking lawsuit that investigates Casino Group for selling meat from indigenous lands. Organizations have traced herds from the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau Indigenous land in Brazil and calculated compensation for social, cultural, and health damages
From mining to fish: how mercury contaminates the Munduruku Indigenous community
Carnivorous fish are among the most consumed by the Munduruku and the most contaminated by mercury. Scientists suspect the toxic metal, found in the bodies of the members of this indigenous community is seriously affecting the health of adults and children who are born with malformations and developmental delays. Munduruku women already avoid getting pregnant.
Mining firm accused of coercing indigenous groups to exploit potash in Amazon
Public Prosecutor’s Office investigates Canadian-controlled Potássio do Brasil for manipulating consultations and land transactions with indigenous people
Gold, not potassium: the real interest of mining on indigenous lands
Forty three percent of all mining requests on the indigenous lands in the Brazilian Amazon lands are for gold extraction, an InfoAmazonia data analysis reveals. In several of these targeted areas, satellite images show that there is gold mining already taking place without authorization.
Proposed Brazil-Peru road through untouched Amazon gains momentum
Scientists and residents of the Serra do Divisor National Park fear impacts of development on the unique biodiversity of the area between Brazil’s Acre state and Peru
Indigenous Leaders in Amazonas and Land Demarcation are under Attack in WhatsApp Groups
Monitoring of groups on the messaging app WhatsApp shows that disinformation and lies are a strategy to weaken the Indigenous fight.
Every person in three indigenous Munduruku villages in Pará is contaminated by mercury from wildcat mining
Studies by Fiocruz show that 60% of the indigenous people of the Sawré Muybu Indigenous Land have this toxic metal in their bodies above the limit tolerated by the WHO. Mining in indigenous lands has grown by almost 500% in a decade.
Indigenous peoples want to take part in the carbon market because of their role in preserving the Amazon
Leaders defend that part of the resources should guarantee and maintain their territories. The way that carbon markets will work will be defined until the end of COP26.