## Overview Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon are increasingly showing symptoms of mercury poisoning as illegal gold mining expands across their territories. Mercury used to extract gold contaminates rivers and accumulates in fish, posing a serious threat to the health, livelihoods, and cultural survival of these communities. ## How illegal mining spreads mercury Illegal miners disturb riverbeds and mix sediments with mercury because it easily binds to gold, making extraction faster and cheaper. During this process, mercury is released into air, water, and soil, then travels through waterways and enters the broader Amazon ecosystem. ## Impact on indigenous communities Over time, mercury builds up in river fish, which are a staple food for many Indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon. As a result, community members, including pregnant women and children, are exposed to dangerous levels of mercury through their daily diet and traditional ways of life. ## Health risks and symptoms Mercury poisoning can damage the nervous system, impair coordination and vision, and cause developmental problems in children. In affected Indigenous territories, residents have reported neurological symptoms and growing fear about long-term health consequences, including risks during pregnancy. ## Government and international response Brazilian authorities have begun crackdowns on illegal mining, destroying equipment, seizing assets, and targeting operations in Indigenous territories. International and national organisations are also working with health and environmental agencies to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mercury poisoning in the Amazon region. > Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon have started displaying signs of mercury poisoning as illegal gold mining in the indigenous territory soars. ### Author’s summary Illegal gold mining in Brazil’s Amazon is driving mercury pollution that contaminates rivers, poisons fish, and seriously endangers Indigenous communities’ health and traditional ways of life.

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Sky News on MSN — 2025-11-29