Colombia reports expansion of illegal alluvial gold mining

Illegal and unauthorized alluvial gold mining in Colombia expanded by 4.5% year-on-year in 2025, reaching 118,410 hectares. A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Colombian government indicates that 75% of alluvial gold production is illegal, while 21% holds technical or environmental permits.

The expansion has primarily occurred on lands belonging to Afro-Colombian communities, with 61% of the increase located in these areas. Mining activity was also detected in 30 Indigenous reserves. Significant concentrations of illicit extraction are found in the departments of Chocó, Antioquia, and Bolívar, which account for 81% of unauthorized alluvial gold exploitation.

Authorities note that illegal mining serves as the second-largest source of financing for armed groups, following drug trafficking. The activity is linked to coca cultivation in nearly half of the mining areas. Environmental consequences include deforestation, river pollution, and the degradation of forest reserves and national parks.