PerúSAT-1 satellite detects illegal mining in Madre de Dios

The Peruvian government, utilizing the PerúSAT-1 satellite and geospatial analysis tools, has identified significant illegal mining operations in the Madre de Dios region. Specialists from the Peruvian Air Force’s Amazon and National Surveillance Directorate (DIVAN) processed imagery covering more than 33,000 hectares in the Inambari and Laberinto districts of the Tambopata province.

The satellite analysis revealed 236 dredges used for illegal gold extraction, 118 mineral washing channels, 242 operational installations, and five clandestine camps within the Tambopata National Reserve. The environmental impact includes the degradation of over 4,000 hectares of Amazonian forest.

This technological approach is part of the National Strategy for the Reduction and Interdiction of Illegal Mining to 2030. The data provided by the satellite imagery allows the Armed Forces and the National Police of Peru to plan precise interdiction operations against criminal organizations in hard-to-reach areas.