SÃO FÉLIX DO XINGU – As João Inácio de Assunção’s small boat sliced through the clay-colored waters of Rio Fresco in northern Brazil he recalled a different time when the river was clearer and brimming with fish “There used to be so many types of fish here,” said 51-year-old de Assunção as he steered the engine-powered boat De Assunção has spent 30 years working on the river a municipality in the northern state of Pará better known for its frenzied cattle production it has become increasingly difficult for fishermen like him to survive from the river Environmentalists point to a surge in illegal gold mining in this corner of the Brazilian Amazon which has brought along with it a dramatic rise in water pollution and deforestation as speculators clear swaths of forest along the riverbanks to make way for makeshift mines known as garimpos This activity has done “irreversible damage” to the rivers in the region who works with the Comissão Pastoral da Terra (CPT) in São Félix do Xingu an arm of the Catholic Church that strives to advance human rights in rural communities in Brazil “There’s always been mining speculation here – but in recent years “And the water they are polluting is in small rivers and streams that flow directly into Rio Fresco.” Local sources say the most dramatic pollution has occurred in Rio Branco a narrow river that snakes through the adjacent region of Ourilândia do Norte – or Northern Land of Gold – before flowing into the larger Rio Fresco most of which was still covered in lush forest a few years ago has recently seen a sharp rise in clearing: it lost more than 5 percent of its forest cover between 2001 and 2018 according to satellite data from the University of Maryland (UMD) About half of this loss occurred in 2017 and 2018 alone indicating deforestation in the region may be accelerating And there are also signs that this acceleration has kept up this year: preliminary data from UMD indicate deforestation spiked in September and October to more than double the average rate for the same period over the past four years Satellite images show the bulk of 2019 deforestation is due to mining expansion Local sources say some illegal miners – known as garimpeiros – dump toxic waste directly into the river But most of the pollution occurs because the removal of forest and topsoil has badly weakened the banks of Rio Branco adjunct professor at the Federal University of Southern and Southeastern Pará (Unifesspa) in São Félix do Xingu This means the soil – and the toxins miners use to extract minerals – runs directly into the river when it rains “What happens is that you remove this protection,” Rêgo da Silva said “And we have a big problem with the use of mercury in mining That soil that is entering the water is rich in mercury and other minerals too.” Scientific studies have also found mercury to be detrimental to human health, linking exposure to the element to skin disease, infertility and birth defects. It can also impact river-dwelling communities far beyond the immediate area around a mining site as contamination travels downstream and the impact becomes amplified up the food chain the contaminated water flows from one river into the next In the open water where Rio Fresco meets Rio Xingu the blue stream of one flows alongside the muddy currents of the other “How can you use the water?” de Assunção wondered The decline of Rio Fresco didn’t begin this year with the spike in mining activity in this part of the Brazilian Amazon it goes back to the mining rush that gripped the broader Amazon region beginning in the 1970s the path into the mineral-rich lands around Ourilândia do Norte and Tucumã was opened up by miners searching for gold hoping to strike it rich in the illicit gold trade While mining accounts for  a far smaller proportion of deforestation than cattle ranching or logging, its environmental impact has become clearer – and more worrying – in recent years. A 2017 study found that mining contributed to about 10 percent of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2005 and 2015 The vast majority of mining-related clearing – about 90 percent – occurred illegally outside mining leases granted by the Brazilian government that can raze large swaths of forest with ease allowing mining supplies and equipment to be flown into densely forested areas by plane they move on to another patch of mineral-rich forest Some of the mining in the region is legal but even those operations have run into controversy prosecutors suspended a nickel mine owned by mining giant Vale following contamination of a nearby river in the Xikrin indigenous territory which straddles the municipalities of Tucumã and Ourilandia do Norte Meanwhile, the area where illegal miners have recently ramped up their activity overlaps with the Kayapó indigenous territory a vast region spanning some 3.28 million hectares that is home to several indigenous groups including some that live in voluntary isolation from the outside world it is illegal to mine on indigenous lands – but local sources claim this isn’t stopping illegal garimpeiros from encroaching on the Kayapó territory Some indigenous people who live on this land have been battling to expel the invaders in recent years Others have reluctantly tolerated the illegal mining in exchange for a cut of the profits which they say brings badly-needed funds to their communities Deforestation has more than doubled in the Kayapó protected area since 2000 with nonprofit groups pointing to gold mining as the key driver the government agency tasked with protecting the interests of indigenous people in Brazil has identified almost 3,000 people contaminated by mining residue in the territory the long-term impacts of mining pollution have also started to become evident recently found only 21 invertebrate species still living in Rio Fresco there were roughly 45 species in Rio Xingu Aquatic invertebrates – often the larvae of flying insects – are routinely used by researchers as indicators of waterbody health “This isn’t just an environmental problem – it’s also a social problem,” said Cristian Bento da Silva an anthropologist with the Instituto de Estudos do Xingu who is studying the impact of water pollution on the São Félix do Xingu community it was still possible to fish in Rio Fresco this river is known as the ‘Dead River’ here.” As Rio Fresco became more polluted and the number of fish dwindled over the last two decades de Assunção says many fishermen who relied on its waters have moved further along Rio Xingu in search of more plentiful catch Because it became impossible to work as the mining picked up,” he said noting that there’s also been instances of illness in the community Advocates and local residents say that the recent uptick in illegal mining and deforestation along Rio Branco and Rio Fresco have spurred fresh concerns about the future of the rivers in this region A key worry is that the pollution is beginning to seep into Rio Xingu “That’s our big worry here,” Rêgo da Silva said “We could have a very considerable disequilibrium because Rio Xingu is one of the main rivers here in our region.” Many point to the rhetoric of Brazil’s new president Jair Bolsonaro as a key factor that has emboldened illegal miners The controversial far-right leader – who has his own past as a garimpeiro – has repeatedly railed against land protections as an “obstacle” to mining and development Bolsonaro’s government is now pushing forward a controversial bill that would permit mining in indigenous territories and the president has also said he supports opening up the 4.6-million hectare Renca reserve to miners His predecessor Michel Temer tried to scrap protections on the massive region which lies across the states of Pará and Amapá but the move was blocked by a federal judge amid an international outcry Environmental enforcement has also been weakened under Bolsonaro’s watch of some of its powers and handed over final say on sanctions to a newly established court Fines for environmental crimes have plummeted since the president assumed office in January to their lowest in a decade All of this has resonated with clandestine miners many of whom are poor and with little education Local advocates say the president’s words and actions have emboldened many to venture into the Amazon without fear of repercussions “This discourse that Amazonia is a place with unlimited natural resources to explore – this discourse is really strong here,” said Bento da Silva “And so people come to explore the resources of the region without taking any responsibility.” with dwindling resources and a vast area to monitor it has proven difficult to contain the illicit activity Cuts to funding at Funai and Ibama have led to the closure of permanent posts in more remote parts of Brazil in recent years leaving miners free to encroach on indigenous territories and protected areas illegal miners blocked four highways in Pará in protest over enforcement agents damaging mining equipment in the region on a key road linking Ourilandia do Norte to São Félix do Xingu “They want the government to stop us from being able to destroy equipment – because that’s what really hurts the garimpeiro,” said one source at a government enforcement agency who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the matter Earlier this year, Bolsonaro sent miners and loggers an encouraging signal when he personally intervened to stop agents from Ibama from destroying equipment confiscated during a raid on a protected area in the state of Rondônia “It is not the orientation of this government to burn machinery,” he said in a social media video The enforcement agency source noted that it has become increasingly difficult to crack down on illegal mining activity in the region as garimpeiros have become bolder They are hoping both that the government won’t punish them and that their activity will be legalized.” it is still unclear how his community will cope with the impact of illegal mining along rivers especially as garimpeiros show no sign of stepping back from the region Banner image by Ibama via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Editor’s note: This story was powered by Places to Watch a Global Forest Watch (GFW) initiative designed to quickly identify concerning forest loss around the world and catalyze further investigation of these areas Places to Watch draws on a combination of near-real-time satellite data automated algorithms and field intelligence to identify new areas on a monthly basis GFW is supporting data-driven journalism by providing data and maps generated by Places to Watch Mongabay maintains complete editorial independence over the stories reported using this data Feedback: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this post that practices sustainable mining in the countries where we are present We exist to improve life and transform the future 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Veicular Vale leva agenda do desenvolvimento sustentável e descarbonização à EXPOSIBRAM destaque para a proteção da floresta e a bioeconomia Vale abre inscrição para a 6ª edição do Birding Photo Challenge em três Estados As inscrições são gratuitas e destinadas a fotógrafos de todo o Brasil Vale promove programa de preparação para o mercado de trabalho em Canaã  As inscrições e as provas serão realizadas de 07 a 10 de agosto Circuito Corrida Vale 2023 – Juntos para transformar São Luis (MA) e Vitória (ES) receberão ao longo do ano o Circuito Corrida Vale Novo hospital regional construído pela Vale irá atender moradores do sudeste paraense A entrega reforça o nosso compromisso com o Pará e será administrada pelo governo estadual por meio do SUS Women who transform science and inspire new professionals The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is celebrated on this Saturday it is an opportunity to honor the multiplier power of the voices that every day help us to transform the 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