Cross-border Mining Causes Heavy Metal Pollution in the Rainforest

Illegal gold mining is rampant along the Brazil-Peru border. The mining process involves the use of large amounts of mercury, which seeps into the soil and rivers with rainwater. Mercury levels in the rainforest’s rivers have far exceeded safe limits, causing fish and birds to die from poisoning. Indigenous communities’ drinking water and food have been contaminated, leading to symptoms of chronic poisoning.