Illegal gold mining surges into new parts of Peru's Amazon, threatening rivers and lives
Published on: Feb. 23, 2026, 11:42 p.m. | Source: Devdiscourse
Illegal gold mining is spreading into new parts of Perus Amazon, advancing along remote rivers and into Indigenous territories as experts warn of a widening environmental and public health crises that could cause irreparable damage. The expansion is accelerating deforestation, contaminating rivers with mercury and exposing remote communities to violence and organized crime, even as the government says it is stepping up enforcement.
