# Amazon gold mining and mercury crisis

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/amazon-gold-mining-and-mercury-crisis
> Updated: 2026-10-03T02:30:00.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

A scientific delegation representing Colombia, Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia has 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 details how mercury used in extraction contaminates air, soil, and water.

The data highlights significant ecological and human costs, including the loss of approximately 140,000 hectares of forest in Peru and the spread of mercury pollution through the Madre de Dios, Beni, and Madeira river basins. Experts report that over 900 indigenous and riverside communities in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru are currently exposed to or at risk of mercury poisoning, which threatens neurological development.

In response to the crisis, scientists have requested the Pope’s intercession to secure urgent commitments for regional protection. There have also been suggestions to formulate a “Declaration of Pucallpa” during the Pope’s planned visit to the Peruvian Amazon in November. 

Recent data from the Center for Scientific Innovation in the Amazon (CINCIA) further specifies that 139,169 hectares of forest associated with gold mining were lost in Peru alone by 2025. Additionally, investigations indicate that more than 1,500 illegal mining dredges have been documented in the Loreto region since 2017. The delegation has called for an international response and increased social responsibility throughout the gold supply chain, from extraction to commercialization.

## Claims

- delivered a report to Pope Leo XIV regarding mercury contamination in the Amazon. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- 139,169 hectares of forest associated with gold extraction have been lost in Peru as of 2025. (single source)
- over 900 indigenous and riverside communities are at risk from mercury contamination in the Madre de Dios, Beni, and Madeira river basins. (single source)
- The University of Cartagena advocates for greater social responsibility throughout the gold value chain. (single source)
- More than 1,500 dredges used for illegal mining have been recorded in the Loreto region since 2017. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-03: Amazon scientists present mercury pollution report to Pope Leo XIV

Scientists from Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil presented a report to Pope Leo XIV warning of mercury contamination and health crises in the Amazon caused by illegal gold mining.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/amazonian-scientists-present-illegal-mining-impact-data-to-pope-leo-xiv

### 2026-09-30: Scientists present Amazon mining and mercury crisis evidence to Pope Leo XIV

Scientists presented Pope Leo XIV with evidence of mercury pollution and forest loss caused by gold mining in the Amazon, calling for urgent protection of indigenous health and biodiversity.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/scientists-present-amazon-mining-and-mercury-crisis-evidence-to-pope-leo-xiv

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Cite as: Amazon gold mining and mercury crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/amazon-gold-mining-and-mercury-crisis