Florence Goupil

Photographer

Illegal Gold Mining in La Pampa

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Location: Cusco, Peru

Nationality: Peruvian

Biography: Florence Goupil (Lima, 1990) is a self-taught Peruvian documentary photographer based in Cusco, Peru. She has been an Explorer since 2020 and is a contributor to the National Geographic Society. The spectre of the Quechua-Wanka culture through her... MORE

A military man observes the pit...hs old with 6 to 7 meters deep.

A military man observes the pit from which gold is extracted. The mining camp on the Inter-Oceanic Highway South, Kilometro 101. Only 1% of mining operations are formalized in Madre de Dios, Kilometro 101 is one of the legal and formalized mining camps. However, its mining methods, and especially the impact and destruction of the forest, are no different from illegal mining. The pit is only 6 months old with 6 to 7 meters deep.

What should be a land covered w...ed in the Madre de Dios region.

What should be a land covered with trees has become a giantesc hole of 6 to 7 meters deep at the mining camp on the Inter-Oceanic Highway South, Kilometro 101. The heavy machinery at the site consists of more than 4 engines. Each one can produce up to 40 grams per day. In Peru, the price per gram is around 220 soles or USD $60. An estimated 150,000 hectares of forest has been destroyed in the Madre de Dios region.

A miner's bed from the ...ch of a better quality of life.

A miner's bed from the mining camp on the Inter-oceanic Highway South, Kilometer 101. The white boots are characteristic of both legal and illegal miners. Most of them are young men recruited from indigenous communities in search of a better quality of life.

Detail of the tattoos on Celine...rriage and health consequences.

Detail of the tattoos on Celine's hand, a victim of trafficking and forced prostitution in Puerto Maldonado, in brothels run by illegal miners. Celine was recruited by false pretenses in her village in Siacuani two years ago, when she was 16 years old. At 17, she had a miscarriage and health consequences.

Portrait of Celine, a victim of... violence or human trafficking.

Portrait of Celine, a victim of trafficking and forced prostitution in Puerto Maldonado, in brothels run by illegal miners. Celine was recruited by false pretenses in her village in Siacuani two years ago, when she was 16 years old. At 17, she had a miscarriage and health consequences. "Celine's story is the story of all Celine's," says her caregiver, a member of the NGO CHS, which helps victims of violence or human trafficking.

The trafficking of minors and f... they are almost never claimed.

The trafficking of minors and forced prostitution are related to the illegal mining activities. These brothels in the city of Puerto Maldonado, bear the symbol of the purple-blue light, which indicates to the local miners the presence of underage girls. Many of these girls and adolescents are recruited under false pretenses and brought from rural and indigenous communities where they are almost never claimed.

Along the interoceanic highway,...ch of a better quality of life.

Along the interoceanic highway, the miners travel by motorcycle to their illegal camps. They are recognizable by their white boots or muddy legs. Most of them are young men recruited from indigenous communities in search of a better quality of life.

The mining camp on the Inter-oc...hs old with 6 to 7 meters deep.

The mining camp on the Inter-oceanic Highway South, named Kilometer 101. Only 1% of mining operations are formalized in Madre de Dios, Kilometro 101 is one of the legal and formalized mining camps. However, its mining methods, and especially the impact and destruction of the forest, are no different from illegal mining. The pit is only 6 months old with 6 to 7 meters deep.

Detail of chemical waste from a...ut their extractive activities.

Detail of chemical waste from a mining camp in the Harakbut indigenous territory. For more than ten years, illegal gold mining has been practiced in the indigenous territory of Kotzimba, destroying more than 500 hectares of native forest, according to SERNANP (National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State). The Harakbut indigenous people guard their territory from invading outsiders. However, the accessibility of the rivers makes this task difficult, the miners enter through the Malinowski River and, armed, carry out their extractive activities.

An estimated 150,000 hectares o...lored water laden with mercury.

An estimated 150,000 hectares of forest has been destroyed in the Madre de Dios region. In this former mining camp dismantled in 2019 during the Operation Mercury, what should be a land covered with trees has become a desert. A land of sands dotted with pools of strangely colored water laden with mercury.

Miners from the mining camp on ... different from illegal mining.

Miners from the mining camp on the Inter-oceanic Highway South, Kilometer 101. Only 1% of mining operations are formalized in Madre de Dios, Kilometro 101 is one of the legal and formalized mining camps. However, its mining methods, and especially the impact and destruction of the forest, are no different from illegal mining.

The mining camp on the Inter-Oc...is around 220 soles or USD $60.

The mining camp on the Inter-Oceanic Highway South, Kilometro 101. The heavy machinery at the site consists of more than 4 engines motors that suck the water and soil from one side, to take them to another hole, passing through a carpet that will collect the black soil possibly loaded with gold. Each motor can produce up to 40 grams per day. In Peru, the price per gram is around 220 soles or USD $60.

Portrait of General Bianchi at ...ng material has been destroyed.

Portrait of General Bianchi at the military base located on a former mining camp. In 2019 during the Operation Mercury, 300 military personnel stopped illegal mining in La Pampa, destroying heavy machinery that is used to extract gold from the earth. Only this year, General Bianchi has led 72 operations to dismantle mining camps in which 52 million Peruvian Soles worth of mining material has been destroyed.

Detail of the bromeliads of the...n due to extractive activities.

Detail of the bromeliads of the Harakbut indigenous territory. Jazmina Loraico, current president of the Kotsimba community, holds the bromeliad flowers that are in danger of extinction due to extractive activities.

Portrait of Jazmina Loraico, an...s "La Pampa".

Portrait of Jazmina Loraico, an indigenous Harakbut and current president of the Kotsimba native community. Jazmina is promoting an economy based on tourism and agriculture in the face of the threats caused by illegal mining in the area known as "La Pampa".

The reforestation zone that Lui...a to return the forest to them.

The reforestation zone that Luis Fernandez and Miles R. Silman from CINCIA started 5 years ago where they have planted different species of Amazonian trees. Together, they have been working with the people of Kotsimba to return the forest to them.

A young Lupuna tree, believed t...es are growing out of the sand.

A young Lupuna tree, believed to be sacred and considered the giant of the Amazon. It reaches up to 70 meters in height and its trunk can reach more than 3 meters in diameter. Since the military moved into the dismantled mining camp (2019), they have not only guarded the area from the return of the miners, but have also dedicated themselves to reforestation. In the photo, their trees are growing out of the sand.

"In La Pampa we know t...lored water laden with mercury.

"In La Pampa we know that there is still gold here," says a former miner looking at a pond from which gold was extracted three years ago. On 19 February 2019, Operation Mercury was launched to eradicate illegal mining and related crimes in La Pampa, Madre de Dios. As part of this major operation, 1,200 police troops, 300 military personnel, as well as 70 prosecutors were deployed as part of the operation. An estimated 150,000 hectares of forest has been destroyed in the Madre de Dios region. Today, what should be a land covered with trees has become a desert. A land of sands dotted with pools of strangely colored water laden with mercury.

Portrait of Victor Zambrano and...ve in the Madre de Dios region.

Portrait of Victor Zambrano and Demetro Pacheco with an Ojé tree also known as Ficus insipida. They are both activists and environmental leaders, defenders of native forests and their biodiversity. Victor and Demetro work at the management committee of the Tambopata Reserve in the Madre de Dios region.

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Thumbnail of A military man observes the pit _ths old with 6 to 7 meters deep.

Thumbnail of What should be a land covered wi_yed in the Madre de Dios region.

Thumbnail of A miner's bed from the m_rch of a better quality of life.

Thumbnail of Detail of the tattoos on Celine&_arriage and health consequences.

Thumbnail of Portrait of Celine, a victim of _f violence or human trafficking.

Thumbnail of The trafficking of minors and fo_e they are almost never claimed.

Thumbnail of Along the interoceanic highway, _rch of a better quality of life.

Thumbnail of The mining camp on the Inter-oce_ths old with 6 to 7 meters deep.

Thumbnail of Detail of chemical waste from a _out their extractive activities.

Thumbnail of An estimated 150,000 hectares of_olored water laden with mercury.

Thumbnail of Miners from the mining camp on t_o different from illegal mining.

Thumbnail of The mining camp on the Inter-Oce_ is around 220 soles or USD $60.

Thumbnail of Portrait of General Bianchi at t_ing material has been destroyed.

Thumbnail of Detail of the bromeliads of the _on due to extractive activities.

Thumbnail of Portrait of Jazmina Loraico, an _as "La Pampa".

Thumbnail of The reforestation zone that Luis_ba to return the forest to them.

Thumbnail of A young Lupuna tree, believed to_ees are growing out of the sand.

Thumbnail of "In La Pampa we know th_olored water laden with mercury.

Thumbnail of Portrait of Victor Zambrano and _rve in the Madre de Dios region.

Public Story

Illegal Gold Mining in La Pampa

Copyright Florence Goupil 2024

Updated Nov 2022

Illegal gold mining operations in La Pampa, Madre De Dios

In July 2022, I had the honor of working alongside an investigative team from NBC News to document the deforestation of more than 370,000 acres of forest in the Peruvian Amazon. Revealing the trafficking of minors, mercury contamination and the gold mafia, in addition to the assassination of environmental leaders. Crimes originated in the mining town of La Pampa in Madre de Dios.

For Nbc News 2022.

Paradise lost: Inside Peru's emergency zone
Illegal gold mining in southeastern Peru has fueled the destruction of a massive swath of rainforest and the killing of dozens of environmental activists.
Nbcnews.com