Peru cracks down on illegal gold mining in Amazon reserve with military show of force

In the heart of Peru's Amazon rainforest, the government has launched a military operation dubbed "Operation Mercury 2" to combat illegal gold mining. The initiative targets a rich corner of the Peruvian Amazon, specifically Tambopata National Park, a popular tourist destination in the southeastern Madre de Dios region. According to ABC News, the park was once a thriving rainforest, home to an average of 40,000 tourists per year.

However, illegal mining camps have transformed the area into small villages, complete with bars, restaurants, and brothels accused of sex trafficking.

Military forces have been seen chasing away fleeing miners, who have been known to abandon women and children. These women and children have been escorted off the premises for questioning. The military has destroyed large-scale equipment, boats, campsites, and detonated explosives on mining sites within the park. This is the second installment of Operation Mercury, following a similar campaign seven years ago that achieved a temporary 90% reduction in mining activity, but it has since returned to previous levels.

The surge in gold mining, driven by the global increase in gold prices, has ravaged large parts of the Amazon, spanning multiple countries including Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The price of gold has more than tripled since 2019, rising from an average of about $1,394 an ounce to roughly $4,395 an ounce today. This has made even small amounts of gold extraction increasingly profitable.

The environmental impact of gold mining has been catastrophic. By mid-2025, gold mining had destroyed nearly 344,000 acres of the Peruvian Amazon, with 97.5% of this deforestation occurring in Madre de Dios. Additionally, the mercury used in the mining process has poisoned communities. A 2021 study found that 71% of people living within mining communities and 80% of those living outside them had hair-mercury concentrations above the U.S. EPA reference level.

Fish consumption has been linked to higher mercury levels, and several types of fish have been banned from consumption in the area.

Operation Mercury 2 is being partly funded by Global Conservation, an international nature conservation group. Jeff Morgan, executive director of Global Conservation, emphasized that illegal gold mining in national parks is a violation of Peru's government's policies. The operation aims to remove all illegal gold miners from Tambopata National Park and establish a robust, long-term multi-agency presence to prevent their return.