When you think of the Amazon River and it’s tributaries, what comes to mind? Perhaps parrots flying over head

or capybara feasting along the river.

Maybe you envision a caiman slipping into the water, ready to disappear,

or if you’re really lucky, a jaguar sunning itself along the beach.

But the most common sight on the Madre de Dios and Heath Rivers when I was there?

This beastly boat is a mobile gold processing boat, and not only is it illegal, but it’s one of many polluting these rich waters. With the price of gold sky-rocketing (more than $1300USD/ounce), these boats and the “miners” who work with them stand to make more money than many other careers can hope to make in rural areas. The miners spend hours hauling silt from the river bed onto the boat and sifting it on the large ramp like structure on the left. After sifting, the miners then use liquid mercury (by hand and without proper safety equipment no less) to draw the gold out. The mercury ultimately ends up in the river, where all trophic levels are adversely affected, and fish, mammals and birds begin dying off. Besides the obviously horrible effects of mercury, the increased silt builds up downstream and forests are pillaged for supplies and bushmeat. Is there a solution, or method to deter such destructive techniques? While the gold market remains so lucrative, the allure of a “simple” fortune will continue to draw young men. I don’t have an easy solution, but perhaps once young men start seeing prior workers and residents downriver suffering from acute mercury poisoning, they’ll think twice about taking up the trade (or become smarter about the handling and disposal of these deadly chemicals).

Check out this Washington Post story for more information.