Illegal gold mining in the Putumayo‑Içá Basin is polluting rivers with mercury, accelerating deforestation, and fueling violence from armed groups. This directly threatens Indigenous communities’ health, food security, cultural traditions, and control over their ancestral lands, making it an urgent issue for both human rights and environmental protection.
Illegal Gold Mining in the Putumayo-Içá Basin: Impacts and Conservation Challenges
From murder to mining, threats abound in Colombian Amazon Indigenous reserves
Added 1/27/2026, last updated 1/27/2026 *
* older dates may be inaccurate due to tech changes along the way
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