Scientists present Amazon mining and mercury crisis evidence to Pope Leo XIV

A scientific delegation from five Amazonian nations presented evidence to Pope Leo XIV regarding the environmental and health crises caused by gold mining in the Amazon. The researchers submitted a document titled “Llamamiento a la Santa Sede por la Protección de la Amazonía: Minería del oro y mercurio,” which compiles studies from Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia.

The report highlights the devastating impact of mercury used in gold extraction, which contaminates air, soil, and water. This pollution leads to the accumulation of methylmercury in food chains, threatening the neurological development and health of indigenous populations who rely on fish. In Peru, approximately 140,000 hectares of forest associated with gold mining have been lost up to 2025.

The scientists requested the Pope’s intercession to urge responsible parties to make urgent commitments to protect the region. They also suggested the possibility of formulating a “Declaration of Pucallpa” during the Pope’s upcoming visit to the Peruvian Amazon in November.