A former mining camp shows where shallow mining ponds have overwhelmed a former river system in the La Pampa region of Madre de Dios, Peru. Credit: Photo by Jason Houston
Through Operation Mercury, armed military and national police were dispatched to the region and had a sustained presence until March 2020. Miners were evicted and mining equipment was destroyed. The intervention was successful in stopping illegal gold mining activity in La Pampa but activity in legal areas spiked, triggering many of the same environmental concerns, according to a Dartmouth-led study.
Map showing major mining areas in Madre de Dios, Peru. Heavily mechanized mining that utilizes earth-moving vehicles predominates in Delta and Huepetuhe, while minimally mechanized mining relying on suction pumps and human labor is used almost exclusively in La Pampa. The areas in La Pampa south of the Interoceanic Highway were the target of Operation Mercury in February 2019.
Following Operation Mercury, pond yellowness decreased rapidly after mining activity was suspended in all areas of La Pampa, except in the north. In La Pampa northwest, mining activity spiked and pond yellowness increased by 43%, as compared to before the intervention. In La Pampa northeast, yellowness remained stable due to continued mining activity.