In Peru, artisanal miners seek to extract gold without mercury — Mongabay
In the La Pampa area of Peru’s Madre de Dios region, a formalized artisanal mining operation is seeking to extract gold without using mercury. This is stated in a Mongabay video report on gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon.
Mercury-free mining
Thousands of Madre de Dios residents depend on gold mining. At the same time, the spread of mercury and deforestation are transforming one of the country’s most biodiverse tropical forests. La Pampa is one of the region’s main gold-mining hubs.
In the traditional process shown in the report, gravel is fed into a hopper with mats that trap gold particles. Mercury is then added to the material to collect the gold. It is then washed, compressed, burned, weighed and sold.
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Gravity table and solar panels
The formalized operation uses a gravity table to separate the gold concentrate. One of the artisanal miners in the video says that, thanks to this equipment and the sintering of gold powder, gold can be produced for sale without mercury. Solar panels have also been installed at the site.
Participants in the report describe difficulties buying spare parts and processing documents. According to them, goods sold with an invoice cost more, while some sellers do not have the required documentation. They also speak of an insufficient state presence and the need for support so that such technologies can be economically viable in the long term.
The video also reports a temporary blockage of the Interoceanic Highway at kilometers 109–110 in the La Pampa sector and clashes between police and artisanal miners. The report’s authors note that mining in the region takes place amid violence, an informal economy and a lack of state attention.
