Gold Mining

MAAP #182: Gold Mining Deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon

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Base Map. Major cases of recent gold mining deforestation in Ecuadorian Amazon.

Gold mining is one of the major deforestation drivers across the Amazon, with well-known cases in Peru, Brazil, and Venezuela.

In a recent series of technical articles*, in collaboration with the Ecuadorian organization Foundation EcoCiencia, we have also shown that gold mining is escalating in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Here, we summarize the results from the series and present 5 major cases of recent gold mining deforestation in Ecuador (see Base Map).

These cases, which include gold mining expansion in protected areas, indigenous territories, and primary forests, are:

  • Punino River, located between Napo and Orellana provinces, has experienced the rapid mining deforestation expansion of 217 hectares since 2019.
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  • Yutzupino, located in Napo province, has experienced mining deforestation of 125 hectares since 2021. Surrounding sites in Napo have added 490 hectares since 2017.
    l
  • Shuar Arutam Indigenous Territory, located in Morona Santiago province, has experienced 257 hectares of mining deforestation since 2021.
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  • Podocarpus National Park, located in Zamora Chinchipe province, has experienced 25 hectares of mining deforestation within the park since 2019.
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  • Upper Nangaritza River Protected Forest, also located in Zamora Chinchipe has experienced 545 hectares of mining deforestation since 2018.

In total, we have documented the recent gold mining deforestation of 1,660 hectares (4,102 acres) in the Ecuadorian Amazon. This is equivalent to 2,325 soccer fields.

For each case, we show high-resolution satellite images of the recent gold mining deforestation.

Case Studies – Recent Gold Mining Deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon

For each of the five cases presented below, we show both a high-resolution (3 meters) example of the recent mining deforestation (left panel) and very-high resolution (0.5 meters) zoom of the mining activity (right panel).

Punino River

Along the Punino River, located between Napo and Orellana provinces, we have documented the rapid mining deforestation expansion of 217 hectares since November 2019. Alarmingly, much of this activity (85%) occurred most recently in 2022. See MAAP #176 for more details.

Case 1. Punino River.

Yutzupino/Napo

In this area, located in Napo province, we have documented the mining deforestation of 125 hectares since October 2021, including major impacts along the Jatunyacu River. Surrounding sites in Napo have added 490 hectares since 2017. See MAAP #151 and MAAP #162 for more details.

Case 2. Yutzupino/Napo.

Upper Nangaritza River Protected Forest

In Upper Nangaritza River Protected Forest, also located in Zamora Chinchipe province, we have documented the mining deforestation of 545 hectares since 2018 along the Nangaritza River. See MAAP #167 for more details.

Case 3. Upper Nangaritza River Protected Forest.

Shuar Arutam Indigenous Territory

In the Shuar Arutam Indigenous Territory, located in Morona Santiago province, we have documented the mining deforestation of 257 hectares since 2021. See MAAP #170 for more details.

Case 4. Shuar Arutam Indigenous Territory.

Podocarpus National Park

In Podocarpus National Park, located in Zamora Chinchipe province, we have documented the mining deforestation of 25 hectares since 2019 within the park, including the presence of over 200 mining camps. See MAAP #172 for more details.

Case 5. Podocarpus National Park.

*MAAP Technical Reports

MAAP #176: Expansión Alarmante de Minería en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana (Caso Punino)
https://www.maapprogram.org/2023/mineria-ecuador-punino/

MAAP #172: Minería ilegal de oro en el Parque Nacional Podocarpus, Ecuador
https://www.maapprogram.org/2023/mineria-podocarpus-ecuador/

MAAP #170: Actividad Minera en Territorio Shuar Arutam (Amazonia Ecuatoriana)
https://www.maapprogram.org/2022/mineria-shuar-arutam-ecuador/

MAAP #167: Actividad Minera en el Bosque Protector Cuenca Alta del Río Nangaritza (Ecuador)
https://www.maapprogram.org/2022/minera-nangaritza-ecuador/

MAAP #162: Dinámica de la actividad minera en la  provincia de Napo (Ecuador)
https://www.maapprogram.org/2022/mineria-napo-ecuador/

MAAP #151: Minería Ilegal en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana
https://www.maapprogram.org/2022/mineria-ecuador/

Acknowledgments

This report is part of a series focused on the Ecuadorian Amazon through a strategic collaboration between the organizations Fundación EcoCiencia and Amazon Conservation, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

MAAP #181: Illegal Gold Mining in Yanomami Indigenous Territory (Brazil)

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Base Map. Illegal mining deforestation alerts in Yanomami Indigenous Territory (northern Brazilian Amazon).

The Brazilian government recently launched a series of raids against illegal gold mining in Yanomami Indigenous Territory, located in the northern Brazilian Amazon (see inset of Base Map).

These raids highlight the severe consequences brought by illegal mining activity, particularly deforestation, contamination, malnutrition, and disease.

Here we present the results of a new machine learning algorithm that analyzes satellite imagery archives across large areas to quickly and precisely detect new gold mining deforestation fronts.

The resolution of these mining deforestation alerts is 10 meters, based on the European Space Agency’s freely available Sentinel-2 satellite imagery data.

These alerts reveal the extent of the gold mining deforestation in Yanomami Indigenous Territory is much greater than realized (see Base Map).

In the Base Map, the red dots indicate the most recent gold mining deforestation alerts, occurring in 2022.

Note that while the raids appear to be concentrated along the Uraricoera River, active gold mining deforestation is actually occurring all throughout the vast northern section of the territory, including the Parima and Mucajai Rivers as well.

We estimate the new gold mining deforestation of over 2,000 hectares since 2019. Much of this deforestation (67%, or 1,350 hectares) occurred most recently in 2022.

Below, we show five examples of this recent gold mining deforestation with high-resolution satellite imagery (3 meters) that confirm the alert detections.

Zooms of Illegal Gold Mining Deforestation, 2020 – 2022

Below, we show five examples of this recent gold mining deforestation with high-resolution (3 meter) satellite imagery that confirm the alert detections (see insets A-E in the Base Map). Note that two of the examples are on the the Uraricoera River, while the other three examples are from other parts of the territory.

Zoom A

Zoom B

Zoom C

Zoom D

Zoom E

Methodology

Gold mining deforestation alerts were generated by Amazon Mining Watch’s updated machine learning algorithim based on Sentinel-2 satellite imagery data.

The Amazon Mining Watch is a partnership between the Pulitzer Center´s Rainforest Investigations Network and Earthrise Media. These two nonprofit organizations have joined forces to bring together the power of machine learning and investigative journalism to shed light on large-scale environmental problems in the Amazon.

 

MAAP #173: Rapid Increase of Mining Deforestation in Yapacana National Park (Venezuelan Amazon)

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Base Map. Recent (2021-22) mining deforestation in Yapacana National Park, Venezuelan Amazon. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet, NICFI.

We continue our series on the Venezuelan Amazon (see MAAP #155), with a special focus on the key protected area of Yapacana National Park.

In recent reports, we showed that Yapacana is currently experiencing intense illegal mining activity with likely thousands of miners (see MAAP #156), including on top of the sacred Yapacana Tepui (see MAAP #169).

Here, we focus on the most active mining zone, located in the southwestern part of the park surrounding the tepui, where mining deforestation has escalated rapidly over the past two years.

We found the new deforestation of over 750 hectares (1,870 acres) within this sector of Yapacana National Park between 2021 and 2022.

The Base Map illustrates this result, with red and yellow showing 2022 and 2021 deforestation, respectively.

Note that some of the recent deforestation (6 hectares) has occurred on top of the tepui.

Below, we zoom in and show this recent deforestation with high-resolution satellite imagery.

 

 

Deforestation 2021-22 in Yapacana National Park

Figure 1 shows the deforestation of 757 hectares between December 2020 (left panel) and October 2022 (right panel) in the southern part of Yapacana National Park surrounding Yapacana Tepui. The arrows point to the major zones before (green) and after (orange) deforestation. The Letters A-D correspond the four zooms below.

Figure 1. Recent deforestation in Yapacana National Park. The arrows point to the major zones before (green) and after (orange) deforestation. The Letters A-D correspond the four zooms below. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet, NICFI.

Zoom A

Zoom A. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet, NICFI

Zoom B

Zoom B. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet, NICFI

Zoom C

Zoom C. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet, NICFI

Zoom D

Zoom D shows the deforestation of 4 hectares between December 2020 (left panel) and October 2022 (right panel) on top of Yapacana Tepui within the national park.

Zoom D. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet, NICFI

 

Accumulated Deforestation

We estimate the accumulated mining deforestation of 1,537 hectares within this southwestern sector of Yapacana National Park. Thus, nearly half (49%) has occurred most recently in 2021-22.

Of the total accumulated deforestation, 17 hectares has occurred on top of the sacred tepui. Over a third (35%) has has occurred most recently in 2021-22.

Acknowledgements

We thank SOS Orinoco for helpful comments on this report.

Citation

Finer M, Ariñez A (2023) Rapid Increase of Mining Deforestation in Yapacana National Park (Venezuelan Amazon). MAAP: 173.

 

MAAP #171: Deforestation in Mining Corridor of Peruvian Amazon (2021-2022)

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Figure 1. Recent mining deforestation in the Guacamayo zone of the Mining Corridor (Madre de Dios region of the southern Peruvian Amazon). Data: Planet.

Gold mining continues to be one of the main deforestation drivers in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region).

In a recent report (MAAP #154), we highlighted the key cases of illegal mining in this area.

In an attempt to organize mining activities and promote a formalization process,* the Peruvian government has delimited a large Mining Corridor in Madre de Dios (see Base Map below).

Here, we analyze recent (2021 – 2022) deforestation in the Mining Corridor, using a novel methodology.

Deforestation within its limits is important because, although it may not be illegal, can be considerable due to the large area covered by the Mining Corridor (498,296 hectares, or 1.2 million acres).

The key part of this analysis is the novel ability to distinguish mining deforestation from agriculture deforestation, which is also common in the area.

In summary, we estimate the direct mining deforestation of 11,200 hectares (27,675 acres) in the Mining Corridor over the last two years (2021-22).

Deforestation in the Mining Corridor

Base Map. Mining (red) vs Agriculture (yellow) deforestation within the Mining Corridor in the southern Amazon of Peru (Madre de Dios region), during the years 2021 and 2022. Data: ACCA/MAAP.

We found a total deforestation of 16,000 hectares (39,500 acres) within the Mining Corridor over the past two years (2021 and 2022).

Of this deforestation total, 70% is directly linked to gold mining (11,200 hectares; indicated by red on the Base Map), while the remaining 30%  loss is agricultural expansion (4,800 hectares; indicated by yellow).

In the Base Map, note that mining deforestation is largely concentrated in three general areas:
(A) along the Madre Dios River, (B) the Guacamayo mining zone (also see Figure 1, above), and (C) around the perimeter of the Huepetuhe mining zone.

*Note on the mining formalization process in Peru

In the Mining Corridor, officially called the “Zona de pequeña minería y minería artesanal en el departamento de
Madre de Dios,” declared by Legislative Decree No. 1100, mining activities can be classified into one of three scenarios:

1) Formal: Formalization process completed, with approved environmental and operational permits.
2) Informal: In the process of being formalized, operating in spaces where extraction is allowed and using permitted machinery. This type is considered an administrative offense, not a crime.
3) Illegal: Operating in prohibited areas such as bodies of water (for example, a river or a lake) and/or using prohibited machinery. This type is considered a crime and is punishable by jail.

Methodology

We used LandTrendr, a temporal segmentation algorithm that identifies changes in pixel values through time, to detect forest loss within the mining corridor in 2021 (September 2020 – September 2021) and 2022 (September 2021 – July 2022). It is important to emphasize this method was originally designed for moderate-resolution (30 meters) Landsat imagery,1 but we adapted it for higher-resolution (4.7 meters) NICFI-Planet monthly mosaics.2

Additionally, we created a baseline for the period 2016- 2020 to eliminate old agriculture and mining areas (pre-2021) due to rapid changes in the natural re-vegetation process.

Finally, we manually separated the mining and non-mining forest loss for 2021 and 2022, in order to report specifically on direct mining-related impacts. For this part of the analysis, we used various resources to aid the manual process, such as radar-based alerts (RAMI), CINCIA historical data from 1985 to 2020, and forest loss data from the Peruvian government (PNCB) and the University of Maryland.

1. Kennedy, R.E., Yang, Z., Gorelick, N., Braaten, J., Cavalcante, L., Cohen, W.B., Healey, S. (2018). Implementation of the LandTrendr Algorithm on Google Earth Engine. Remote Sensing. 10, 691.
2.  Erik Lindquist, FAO, 2021

Acknowledgments

We thank S. Otoya for helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent works with the Government of Peru, civil society and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes for the sake of the conservation of the Peruvian Amazon, particularly in the regions of Loreto, Madre de Dios and Ucayali.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

 

Citation

Mamani N, Finer M (2022) Deforestation in Mining Corridor of Peruvian Amazon (2021-2022). MAAP: 171.

MAAP #169: Mining on Top of Yapacana Tepui (Yapacana National Park, Venezuela)

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Figure 1. Active mining on top of Yapacacan tepui in the Venezuelan Amazon. Data: Planet/NICFI (level 2), ACA/MAAP,

Tepuis are stunning table-top mountains found in northern South America. They are considered sacred by indigenous groups of the region; in fact, the word tepui means “house of the gods” in a local indigenous language. Tepuis also have high levels of endemism since they are not connected to other ranges.

However, we have documented active mining operations on top of the Yapacana tepui, located within Yapacana National Park in the Venezuelan Amazon.

In Figure 1 (to the right), observe the Yapacana tepui surrounded by active gold mining operations in Yapacana National Park. Also, note the mining activities on top of the tepui.

As detailed below, by analyzing very high-resolution satellite imagery (Skysat), we found 425 mining data points (including mining camps and machinery) on top of the tepui, indicating rampant mining on this important, and supposedly protected, biogeographical site.

Note that this is in addition to the 8,000 mining data points documented in the surrounding lowlands of Yapacana National Park  (see MAAP #156).

Mining on Top of Yapacana Tepui

Figure 2 serves as our base map, zooming in and showing the top of the tepui without and with the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 425 mining data points (322 camps and 103 pieces of equipment).  Further below are additional Zooms A-C to better visualize the mining camps and equipment with the actual Skyat imagery. Click twice to fully enlarge images below.

Figure 2. Yapacana tepui without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: Planet/NICFI (level 2), ACA/MAAP. Click twice to fully enlarge.

Zoom A

Zoom A. Mining equipment and camps on Yapacana tepui, without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: Planet, ACA/MAAP. Click twice to fully enlarge.

Zoom B

Zoom B. Mining equipment and camps on Yapacana tepui, without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: Planet, ACA/MAAP. Click twice to fully enlarge.

Zoom C

Zoom C. Mining equipment and camps on Yapacana tepui, without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: Planet, ACA/MAAP. Click twice to fully enlarge.

Zoom D

Zoom D. Mining equipment and camps on Yapacana tepui, without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: Planet, ACA/MAAP. Click twice to fully enlarge.

Zoom E

Zoom E. Mining equipment and camps on Yapacana tepui, without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: Planet, ACA/MAAP. Click twice to fully enlarge.

Methodology

We tasked very high-resolution Skysat satellite imagery (0.5 meters), using the host company Planet’s tasking dashboard, for the Yapacana tepui. We then closely and manually analyzed these images, documenting both mining camps and equipment. We researched aerial examples of mining areas in other countries to improve our identification abilities.

Acknowledgements

We thank the organization SOSOrinoco for important information and comments related to this report.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Mining on Top of Yapacana Tepui (Yapacana National Park, Venezuela). MAAP: 169.

MAAP #155: Deforestation Hotspots in the Venezuelan Amazon

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Amazon Base Map. Forest Carbon Flux across the Amazon, 2001-2020. Data: Harris et al 2021. Analysis: Amazon Conservation/MAAP.

We present here the first report of a series focused on the Venezuelan Amazon, which covers over 47 million hectares of the northern section of the Amazon biome (above western Brazil).

As the Amazon Base Map indicates, Venezuela is a key part to the remaining core Amazon that is still functioning as a critical carbon sink, making it an important piece to long-term conservation strategies.

However, deforestation has been increasing in recent years (see graph in Base Map), indicating escalating threats.

Specifically, there is a clear trend of increasing primary forest loss since 2015, including a recent spike in 2019.

We estimate the loss of over 140,000 hectares (345,000 acres) over the past four years, accounting for 1.6% of the total loss across the Amazon during that time period.

Below, we investigate the major hotspots and drivers of deforestation currently in the Venezuelan Amazon.

 

 

Venezuela Base Map. Hotspots of primary forest loss across the Venezuelan Amazon (2017-2020). UMD/GLAD, MAAP.

The Venezuela base map shows the major hotspots of primary forest loss across the Venezuelan Amazon over the past four years (2017-2020).

Note that most hotspots are within the Orinoco Mining Arc, a large area over 11 million hectares created by a controversial presidential decree in 2016 designed to promote mining (SOSOrinoco 2021), as well as within and around the extensive network of protected areas.

These protected areas cover 43% (20 million hectares) of the Venezuelan Amazon and accounted for around 30% of total forest loss. The most impacted areas in recent years are Caura, Canaima, and Yapacana National Parks (over 22,000 hectares combined).

We zoomed in on these hotspots and found that mining, fires, and agriculture (including cattle pasture) are the three primary deforestation drivers across the Venezuelan Amazon. There may be complex interactions between these drivers, such as mining centers leading to fires and agricultural expansion to support the new mining population.

It is worth noting that Venezuela joins Peru, Brazil, and Suriname as countries where mining is now documented to be actively driving major deforestation of primary forest.

We also note that, as in the rest of the Amazon, virtually all fires are caused by humans (that is, not natural events) and most are likely linked to preparing land for agricultural activities. During drier periods, these fires may escape, causing larger forest fires.

Below, we illustrate these drivers in a series of high-resolution (3 meters) and very high-resolution (0.5 meters) images.

High-resolution Zooms

Mining

Zoom A. Yapacana National Park

Yapacana National Park, which is a unique mosaic of natural savannas and forest, is currently experiencing deforestation impacts from active mining operations. We show two examples of recent mining in the Cerro Yapacana mining sector, featuring very-high resolution imagery from late 2021 (see Zooms A1 and A2). These two areas have lost over 550 hectares since the early 2000s.

Zoom A1. Mining deforestation in Yapacana National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.
Zoom A2. Mining deforestation in Yapacana National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

 

Zoom B. Caura National Park

Caura National Park is also experiencing active mining activity. Below are two examples of recent mining activity, featuring very-high resolution imagery from early 2022 (see Zooms B1 and B2).

 

Zoom B1. Mining deforestation in Caura National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

 

Zoom B2. Mining deforestation in Caura National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

Zoom C. Canaima National Park

The following image shows the recent expansion of mining deforestation in Canaima National Park between 2017 (left panel) and 2020 (right panel).

Zoom C. Mining deforestation in Canaima National Park. Data: Planet/Skysat.

Zoom D: Orinoco Mining Arc

To the north of these protected areas, there is both industrial and river-based mining deforestation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Zoom D shows an example of major river-based mining deforestation (over 1,800 hectares) between 2017 and 2020, plus a very-high resolution imagery from late 2021.

Zoom D. Mining deforestation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Data: Planet.

Agriculture

Zoom E shown an example of agricultural expansion (likely cattle ranching) in the northeastern section of the Orinoco Mining Arc. We estimate the forest loss shown in the panels between 2017 and 2020 is over 400 hectares.

Zoom E. Agricultuire deforestation in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Data: Planet.

Fire

Finally, Zooms F and G show recent examples of major fires impacts. Zoom F is an area that experienced major fires in 2019 within and around Canaima National Park. We estimate the forest loss shown in the panels between 2017 and 2020 is 1,175 hectares.

Zoom F. Major fires in 2019 within and around Canaima National Park. Data: Planet.

Zoom G is an area that experienced major fires in 2020 in the near mining sites in the western section of the Orinoco Mining Arc. We estimate the forest loss shown in the panels between 2017 and 2020 is 1,128 hectares.

Zoom G. Major fires in 2020 in the Orinoco Mining Arc. Data: Planet.

Methodology

For a study area with maximum inclusion, for the Venezuelan Amazon we used the wider biogeographic boundary (as defined by RAISG) rather than the strict Amazon watershed boundary (which actually only includes a small portion of Venezuela).

We obtained data for the Orinoco Mining Arc (Arco Minero del Orinoco) and protected areas from the organization SOSOrinoco. The latter dataset contains Areas Under Special Administration Regime (Áreas Bajo Régimen de Administración Especial – ABRAE), which meet the IUCN international definition of protected areas: national parks, natural monuments, wildlife refuges, reserves and sanctuaries.

We used “primary forest loss” data as our proxy for 2002-2020 annual deforestation. This 30-meter resolution (based on Landsat) data is produced by the University of Maryland and presented by Global Forest Watch. Note that it includes forest loss from fires and natural causes. 2021 early warning alert data is also from University of Maryland.

To identify primary forest loss hotspots, we conducted a kernel density estimate. This type of analysis calculates the magnitude per unit area of a particular phenomenon, in this case forest cover loss. We conducted this analysis using the Kernel Density tool from Spatial Analyst Tool Box of ArcGIS.

Finally, we investigated the major hotspots with both high resolution (3 meters) and very high resolution (0.5 meters) satellite imagery from the company Planet to identify causes (drivers).

References

SOSOrinoco. 2021. Deforestation & Changes in Vegetation &  Land Use Cover within the so-called Orinoco Mining Arc between 2000-2020.

Acknowledgements

We thank the organization SOSOrinoco for important information and comments related to this report.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Deforestation Hotspots in the Venezuelan Amazon. MAAP: 155.

MAAP #156: Intense Mining Activity in Yapacana National Park (Venezuelan Amazon)

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Base Map: Mining areas in Yapacana National Park. Data: SOS Orinoco, ACA/MAAP, Planet.

We present the second report in our series focused on the Venezuelan Amazon.

The first (MAAP #155) documented the loss of over 140,000 hectares (345,000 acres) of primary forest over the past four years. We also zoomed in on the major hotspots, showing that mining is one of the primary deforestation drivers, including in protected areas.

Here we focus on a key protected area, Yapacana National Park.

The park, created in 1978, is a key biogeographical site, with diverse ecosystems (including white sand savannahs), high endemism and biodiversity, and unique Guiana Shield outcrops. Illegal mining started in the park in the 1980s and started to surge in the 2000s (see SOS Orinoco 2020 for details on the complex socio-political issues).

We show Yapacana National Park is currently experiencing intense illegal mining activity.

Specifically, we carried out a detailed estimate of current mining camps and machinery, based on recent and very high-resolution Skysat satellite imagery from Planet (0.5 meters).

We found over 8,000 mining data points (over 4,100 camps and 3,800 pieces of machinery), indicating that Yapacana National Park may currently be the most impacted site in the Amazon (replacing the case La Pampa in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve, in the southern Peruvian Amazon), based on density of mining-related activity.

The goal of this report is to precisely inform the international community about the magnitude of the crisis in Yapacana National Park in hopes of an eventual solution.

Intense Mining in Yapacana National Park

The Base Map (see above) shows the major mining sectors in Yapacana National Park and our Skysat coverage over the recent time period of December 2021 to March 2022 (vertical dark green polygons). In this area, we recorded an astounding 8,214 mining data points (4,167 camps and 3,884 pieces of machinery). This finding is consistent with previous estimates that there are over 2,000 illegal miners operating in the park (and even indicates that this is an underestimate).

The Letters A-C correspond to the zoom images below.


Zoom A: Cerro Yapacana (north)

Zoom A centers on a major mining area in the Cerro Yapacana sector that experienced the deforestation of 360 hectares since the early 2000s, including a spike starting in 2016. It shows a very high-resolution Skysat image from early December 2021, with and without the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 945 mining data points (413 camps and 532 equipment).  Further below, Zooms A1 and A2 further illustrate this point.

Zoom A. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana northern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom A1. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom A2. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).

Zoom B: Cerro Yapacana (south)

Zoom B centers on a major mining area in the Cerro Yapacana sector that experienced the deforestation of 175 hectares since the early 2000s, including a spike starting in 2014. It shows a very high-resolution Skysat image from early December 2021, with and without the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 1,175 mining data points (667 camps and 508 equipment). Again, note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area. Zooms B1 and B2 further illustrate this point.

Zoom B. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana southern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom B1. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana southern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom B2. Mining activity in the Cerro Yapacana southern sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).

Zoom C: Cerro Moyo

Lastly, Zoom C centers on a major mining area in the Cerro Moyo sector that experienced the deforestation of 240 hectares since the early 2000s, including a spike starting in 2011. It shows a very high-resolution Skysat image from March 2022, with and without the mining data (left and right panel, respectively). Again, note how the second image brings out previously “invisible” elements within the overall mining area: 579 data points (55 camps and 524 equipment). Zoom C1 further illustrates this point.

Zoom C. Mining activity in the Cerro Moyo sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).
Zoom C1. Mining activity in the Cerro Moyo sector without (left panel) and with (right panel) the mining data. Data: ACA/MAAP, Planet (Skysat).

Methodology

We tasked very high-resolution Skysat satellite imagery (0.5 meters), using the host company Planet’s tasking dashboard, of known mining locations in Yapacana National Park. We then closely and manually analyzed these images, documenting both mining camps and equipment. We researched aerial examples of mining areas in other countries to improve our identification abilities.

As a guide to locate key mining zones in these areas, we used mining area data produced by the organization SOS Orinoco, which used manual visual interpretation methods to identify these areas.

References

BirdLife International. Yapacana National Park (Parque Nacional Yapacana IBA). http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/14941

Castillo R. y V. Salas. 2007. Estado de Conservación del Parque Nacional Yapacana. Reporte Especial. En: BioParques: Programa Observadores de Parques

SOS Orinoco. 2019. La Minería Aurífera en el Parque Nacional Yapacana Amazonas Venezolano: Un caso de extrema urgencia ambiental y geopolítica, nacional e internacional.

SOS Orinoco. 2020. La Minería Aurífera en el Parque Nacional Yapacana, Amazonas Venezolano | Un caso de extrema urgencia ambiental y geopolítica, nacional e internacional – Actualización al 2020.

Acknowledgements

We thank the organization SOSOrinoco for important information and comments related to this report.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Intense Mining Activity in Yapacana National Park (Venezuelan Amazon). MAAP: 156.

MAAP #154: Illegal Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon – 2022 update

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Base Map. Locations of illegal gold mining sites in the southern Peruvian Amazon analyzed in this report. Click to enlarge. Data: MAAP/ACA.

Illegal gold mining reached crisis levels in the southern Peruvian Amazon in 2017 and 2018, clearing over 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) in the most critically impacted area, known as La Pampa (located in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve, region of Madre de Dios).

In early 2019, the Peruvian government launched Operation Mercury, an unprecedented long-term crackdown on illegal mining, with an initial focus in La Pampa.

Here, we present an updated analysis of illegal gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon. Specifically, we compare rates of deforestation before vs after Operation Mercury at the most important illegal mining sites (see Base Map).

We found that illegal gold mining deforestation decreased 62% overall across all sites following Operation Mercury, including a remarkable 96% decrease in La Pampa.

However, illegal mining deforestation has increased at several key sites, most notably indigenous territories.

 

 

 

Results: Base Map

The Results Map below illustrates the major findings. Red indicates gold mining deforestation post-Operation Mercury (3,688 hectares between March 2019 and December 2021), while yellow indicates the pre Operation baseline (6,933 hectares between January 2017 and February 2019).

Note that deforestation in the most critical illegal mining front, La Pampa (Tambopata National Reserve buffer zone), has essentially been stopped. However, mining continues in other key areas such as Mangote, Pariamanu, Camanti (Amarakaeri Commuanl Reserve buffer zone), Chaspa (Bahuaja Sonene National Park buffer zone), leading to new government interventions in each of these areas.

Regarding Native Communities, the most impacted after Operation Mercury include Barranco Chico (1,098 hectares), Tres Islas (503 hectares), Puerto Luz (136 hectares), and Kotsimba (inside the Alto Malinowski area; 518 hectares). The government has recently conducted two raids in Barranco Chico, indicating they are aware of this situation.

Results Map. Major gold mining fronts in the southern Peruvian Amazon before (yellow) and after (red) Operation Mercury. Data: MAAP. Click to enlarge.

Results: Graph

The Results Graph below further details the major findings:

  • Overall, gold mining deforestation decreased 62% across all sites following Operation Mercury (from 279 to 105 hectares per month).
    h
  • Most notably, mining deforestation decreased 96% in La Pampa, the most critically impacted area (from 149 to 6.5 hectares per month).
    j
  • Mining deforestation decreased 81% in the other sites within the buffer zones of key protected area (Tambopata National Reserve, Bahuaja Sonene National Park, and Amarakaeri Communal Reserve).
    j
  • Mining deforestation increased 100% in two new critical fronts, Pariamanu and Chaspa.
    g
  • Mining deforestation increased 128% in the four Native Communities (Barranco Chico, Boca Inambari, Tres Islas, and Puerto Luz).
Results Graph. Data: ACA/MAAP.

Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery (Skysat)

Below, we show a striking series of recent (January to March 2022) and very high resolution (0.5 meter Skysat) images of three primary current illegal mining sites: Barranco Chico, Pariamanu and Mangote. These images reveal machinery and infrastructure (indicated by red circles) as well as camps (indicated by yellow squares) directly associated with illegal gold mining activity.

Native Community Barranco Chico

Native Community Barranco Chico 1. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.
Native Community Barranco Chico 2. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

Pariamanu

Pariamanu 1. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.
Pariamanu 2. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.
Pariamanu 3. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

Mangote

Mangote 1. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

 

Mangote 2. Data: MAAP/ACA, Skysat/Planet.

 

Methodology

We analyzed high-resolution imagery (3 meters) from the satellite company Planet obtained from their interface Planet Explorer. Based on this imagery, we digitized gold mining deforestation across ten major sites: La Pampa, Mangote, Alto Malinowski, Camanti, Pariamanu/Pariamarca, Apaylon, Chaspa, Barranco Chico, and Boca Inambari. These were identified as the major active illegal gold mining deforestation fronts based on analysis of automated forest loss alerts generated by University of Maryland (GLAD alerts) and the Peruvian government (Geobosques) and additional land use layers. The area referred to as the “mining corridor” is not included in the analysis because the issue of legality is more complex.

Across these sites, we identified, digitized, and analyzed all visible gold mining deforestation between January 2017 and the present (December 2021). We defined before Operation Mercury as data from January 2017 to February 2019, and after Operation Mercury as data from March 2019 to the present. Given that the former was 26 months and the latter 32 months, during the analysis the data was standardized as gold mining deforestation per month.

The data is updated through December 2021.

Acknowledgments

We thank O. Liao, S. Otoya, J. Guerra, K. Nielsen, S. Novoa, M.E. Gutierrez, Z. Romero, and G. Palacios for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent works with the Government of Peru, civil society and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes for the sake of the conservation of the Peruvian Amazon, particularly in the regions of Loreto, Madre de Dios and Ucayali.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

Citation

Finer M, Mamani N, Spore J (2021) Peruvian Amazon Illegal Gold Mining update. MAAP: #154.

MAAP #151: Illegal Mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon

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Base Map. The two case studies of illegal mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Yutzupino and Punino. Data: EcoCiencia.

In this report, we report on illegal gold mining activity in the Ecuadorian Amazon, building off our previous reports on Peru (MAAP #130) and Brazil (MAAP #116).

The Base Map shows the two new cases presented below: Yutzupino (Napo province) and Punino (border of Napo and Orellana provinces).

Both cases showed alarming expansion in 2021 and require continued action by authorities to minimize the impact in 2022.

This report is part of a series focused on the Ecuadorian Amazon through a strategic collaboration between the organizations Fundación EcoCiencia and Amazon Conservation, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

 

 

 

 

 

Yutzupino

We have documented the rapid mining expansion of 70 hectares (173 acres) between October 2021 and January 2022, on the banks of the Jatunyacu River in the Napo province (see Image Yutzupino 1). Most of this activity occurred in December, highlighting the recent activity at the site.

Image Yutzupino 1. Data: Planet.

The gold mining concession Confluencia is located in this area. However, the operating company TerraEarth Resources has stated that it is not responsible for this sudden mining expansion, indicating that the detected activity is illegal because it does not have the proper licenses.

On January 8 of this year (2022), the Ecuadorian government carried out a field intervention, confirming the illegal activity (see national news report). Despite this action, the illegal mining activity has continued to advance in January 2022, increasing by at least 6 hectares (15 acres).

To analyze this most recent activity, we obtained a very high-resolution satellite image (Skysat, 0.50 meters) from January 17 (2022). We identified the presence of at least 70 mining-related machines that still remained on site after the government’s field operation was carried out (see Image Yutzupino 2 and Zooms A-B).

Image Yutzupino 2. Data: Planet, EcoCiencia.
Skysat Zoom A. Data: Planet, EcoCiencia.
Skysat Zoom B. Data: Planet, EcoCiencia.

Punino

We have also documented the mining deforestation of 32 hectares (79 acres) between November 2019 and November 2021, on the banks of the Río Punino on the border between the provinces of Napo and Orellana (see Image Punino 1).

Image Punino 1. Data: Planet.

Two active gold mining concessions, Punino I and Punino II, are located in this area. However, nearly half (46%) of the detected mining deforestation (15 ha) is located outside these concessions, indicating that it is illegal activity (see Image Punino 2).

Image Punino 2. Data: EcoCiencia, Planet.

Para contextualizar dicha deforestación ilegal, hemos utilizado una imagen de muy alta resolución (Skysat, 0.50 metros) para mostrar en detalle la expansión minera fuera de las concesiones mineras, incluso con dragados, máquinas, y campamentos (ver Imagen Punino 3).

To analyze this most recent illegal mining deforestation, we obtained a very high-resolution satellite image (Skysat, 0.50 meters) from December 2021. We identified the details of the mining expansion outside the concessions, including machines and camps (see Image Punino 3).

Image Punino 3. Data: EcoCiencia, Planet.

Acknowledgments

We thank C. Rivadeneyra (F. EcoCiencia), E. Ortiz (AAF), and A. Folhadella (ACA) for their contributions to this report.

This report is part of a series focused on the Ecuadorian Amazon through a strategic collaboration between the organizations Fundación EcoCiencia and Amazon Conservation, with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

Cita

Villacís S, Ochoa J, Borja MO, Josse C, Finer M, Mamani N (2022) Illegal Mining in the Ecuadorian Amazon. MAAP: #151.

MAAP #140: Detecting illegal gold mining in rivers with specialized satellites

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Image: Skysat (Planet). Analysis: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.

Illegal gold mining is a widespread problem in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region), where it has caused river contamination and the deforestation of more than 100,000 hectares.

This activity has also emerged in the northern Peruvian Amazon (Loreto region), where it is not yet causing deforestation and the main threat is the contamination of rivers and important water resources.

This type of gold mining activity in water bodies (such as rivers) is illegal in Peru (see the “Legal situation” section below).

Identifying this type of mining (that is, in rivers and not causing deforestation) is difficult because the small mining boats (known as dragas) are mobile and imperceptible to medium and high-resolution satellites.

In this report, we test a novel technique based on tasking very high-resolution specialized satellites (in this case, Skysat with a spatial resolution of 0.5 meters) to detect illegal gold mining in the rivers of Loreto.

Below, we demonstrate how we used Skysat to detect illegal mining boats in the Nanay and Pintuyacu rivers, the main sources of drinking water for the city of Iquitos (capital of Loreto).

It is important to emphasize that this new technique has great potential for public institutions (national and regional levels) and local actors to detect and respond to illegal activity in real-time with appropriate measures (see the “Conclusion” section below).

Base Map: Mining in Nanay and Pintuyacu Rivers (Loreto region)

The Base Map below shows the precise points where illegal gold mining activity was found during 2020 and 2021 in the Nanay and Pintuyacu rivers of the Loreto region. For context, the map also includes the two nearby protected areas (one national, Allpahuayo Mishana, and another regional, Alto Nanay-Pintuyacu-Chambira). All the identified mining activity is illegal because there are no mining concessions in the area, in addition to the fact that it is occurring in bodies of water.

The yellow triangles indicate the illegal activity detected in 2020, based on field data or observations corroborated by specialists.

Based on this information, between March and May 2021, we tasked and analyzed very high-resolution satellite images (Skysat from the company Planet) for various strategic locations along both rivers. For images with possible mining activity, we consulted with field specialists for confirmation. The red triangles indicate the locations of illegal gold mining detected by Skysat and confirmed by the experts.

Base Map. Data: FEMA, MAAP, SERNANP.

Very High-resolution Satellite Images (Skysat)

Next, we show a series of striking images of illegal gold mining detected by Skysat and confirmed by experts. Note that with the very high resolution (0.5 meters), one can actually visualize the detail of a small mining boat. Image 1 shows several mining boats together in the Nanay River (near the town of Puca Urco). There are previous examples from the field of mining boats lining up together during their illegal activity (see the “Annex” section below).

Image 1. Mining boats in the Nanay River. Image: Skysat (Planet). Analysis: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.

Images 2-4 show other examples of likely mining boats in the Nanay River, this time within a national protected area (Alto Nanay-Pintuyacu-Chambira Regional Conservation Area). Note that these cases are also characterized by the presence of several boats lined up together.

Image 2. Mining boats in the Nanay River, in the Alto Nanay-Pintuyacu-Chambira Regional Conservation Area. Image: Skysat (Planet), Analysis: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.
Image 3. Mining boats in the Nanay River, in the Alto Nanay-Pintuyacu-Chambira Regional Conservation Area. Image: Skysat (Planet), Analysis: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.
Image 4: Mining boats in the Nanay River. Image: Skysat (Planet), Analysis: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.

Image 5 shows the presence of illegal mining boats in the Pintuyacu River.

Image 5: Mining boats in the Pintuyacu River. Image: Skysat (Planet), Analysis: MAAP/Amazon Conservation.

Conclusion

Unlike the dire situation in the southern Peruvian Amazon (Madre de Dios region), the illegal gold mining in northern Peru (Loreto region) does not cause deforestation and is caused by small mining boats in the rivers, making it practically invisible to medium and high-resolution satellites. This report presents a novel technique based on the strategic tasking of very high-resolution satellite images (Skysat) to detect this type of river-based illegal mining in real-time. With these images, we demonstrate the unprecedented capability to detect and visualize illegal activity in vast and remote areas, even down to the level of a small mining boat.

This new technique may allow public institutions and local actors to better respond to illegal activity in real-time with appropriate monitoring and control protocols. For example, key actors, such as the Peruvian Special Environmental Prosecutor’s Office (FEMA) can use this type of imagery in the planning and execution of their field interventions.

It is also important to highlight that the neighboring countries of Colombia and Bolivia experience the same problem of gold mining in rivers, so there is potential to replicate this model in other countries of the Amazon.

Annex

Here we show a photo from the field (Nanay River) of how the mining boats may line up during their illegal activity. This photo is for reference only and does not directly correspond to the cases described above.

Reference image of mining boats lined up during illegal activity. Source: ACRANPC.

Situación legal (in Spanish only)

El Decreto Legislativo N.° 1100 prohíbe, en el ámbito de la pequeña minería y minería artesanal, el uso de dragas y otros artefactos similares en todos los cursos de agua, ríos, lagos, lagunas, cochas, espejos de agua, humedales y aguajales. Por lo tanto, toda actividad enmarcada en este supuesto es considerada minería ilegal.

Mediante el Decreto Supremo N.° 150-2020-PCM se declara en emergencia varios distritos de Loreto por la inminente contaminación hídrica del río Nanay. A raíz de esto, se creó una comisión, cuyas actividades giraban en torno a varios operativos conjuntos, entre la Fiscalía Especializada en Materia Ambiental (FEMA), la Policía Nacional del Perú (PNP), la Dirección Regional de Energía y Minas (DREM) y la Autoridad Regional Ambiental (ARA), con el objetivo final de encontrar dragas en dicho río.

Mediante la Ordenanza Regional N.°  006-2003-GR, el Gobierno Regional de Loreto declaró la cuenca del río Nanay “zona de exclusión para actividades de extracción minera y para aquellas que alteren la cobertura vegetal.”

Acknowledgments

We thank Wendy Pineda from Rainforest US and Paul Lopez from the Satellite Monitoring Unit of the Loreto Environmental Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for their technical opinions regarding the confirmation of mining boats identified in the very high-resolution Skysat images.

We also thank Z. Romero (ACCA), G. Palacios (ACA), and G. Ribadeneyra, D. Torres, A. Felix, K. Nielsen, O. Liao and J. Carlos Guerra from USAID’s PREVENT Project, and J. Jara for their helpful comments on this report.

This report was conducted with technical assistance from USAID, via the Prevent project. Prevent is an initiative that is working with the Government of Peru, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and combat environmental crimes in Loreto, Ucayali and Madre de Dios, in order to conserve the Peruvian Amazon.

This publication is made possible with the support of the American people through USAID. Its content is the sole responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US government.

Citation

Finer M, Novoa S, Paz L, Saurez D, Mamani N (2021) Detecting illegal gold mining in rivers with specialized satellites. MAAP: 140.