The expansion of the sector in many Amazon countries is characterized by disordered occupations of territories, uncontrollable organized mining operations, and dangerous working conditions. With a bizarre number of people entering the small-scale gold mining business, gold mining causes severe deforestation, uncontrolled release of mercury, and the deterioration of soil and riverbeds. The scale of the negative impacts is yet unknown. Leading international organizations – such as the United Nations and the World Bank – have invested significant efforts towards developing mechanisms that reduce the environmental impacts of small-scale gold mining, such as using retorts, returning the top soil or rehabilitating vegetation. However, these solutions are only rarely implemented with success.
No comments:
Post a Comment