‘It’s total devastation’: inside the Amazonian war against illegal gold mining

Core point

Illegal gold mining in the Amazon has led to significant destruction of Indigenous lands and natural habitats. Brazilian security forces have recently razed the illegal mining settlement of Vila Cururu as part of a campaign to eradicate such operations. The area has suffered intense vandalism, with 4% of its forests lost between January 2024 and August 2025. The destruction in Sararé is particularly severe, with about 17.3 square miles of land devastated since the gold rush began.