Rio Madeira gold mining licenses reinstated by Federal Court

A Federal Court has ordered the reinstatement of six operating licenses for gold mining via dredging in a 14,747-hectare area of the Rio Madeira, located between the municipalities of Humaitá and Manicoré in Amazonas.

The decision by the 6th Chamber of the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF-1) requires the Amazonas Environmental Protection Institute (Ipaam) to reactivate the permits. The licenses, originally granted in December 2017 to the cooperatives COOGAM and COOEMFAM, had been suspended by previous judicial orders. The court ruled that the period during which the licenses were suspended should not be counted toward their total validity.

Despite the authorization, the activity is classified as having high potential for pollution and degradation. The cooperatives must adhere to 22 environmental conditions, including prohibitions on dredging near riverbanks, tributaries, lakes, turtle nesting areas, and navigation channels. Additionally, the discharge of oil, grease, or other contaminants is strictly forbidden, and operations must cease immediately if archaeological or historical remains are discovered.