Brazil Cracks Down on Illegal Gold Mining with Advanced Technology
In July 2023, Harley Sandoval, an evangelical pastor, real estate agent, and mining entrepreneur, was arrested for illegally exporting 294 kilograms of gold from Brazil’s Amazon to destinations including the United States, Dubai, and Italy.
Although Sandoval claimed the gold originated from a licensed mining operation in Tocantins, a northern Brazilian state, authorities revealed no gold had been mined there since colonial times. According to court documents dated November 2023, Brazil’s Federal Police utilized advanced forensic methods and satellite imagery to confirm the gold’s true source: three illegal mining sites in Pará, some of which were located on protected Indigenous lands.
This case marks one of Brazil’s first uses of cutting-edge technology to combat illicit gold trading, which is believed to account for nearly half of the nation’s gold production. With thousands of unauthorized mining operations proliferating across the Amazon, the environmental and social consequences have been devastating, spurring a surge in government efforts to address the crisis.
A New Tool to Combat Illegal Mining
Gold has historically been difficult to trace, especially after it has been melted into ingots for trade or export. Sandoval himself argued that it is impossible to determine a gold source once refined. However, advancements in forensic science are changing that.
A Federal Police initiative, “Targeting Gold,” uses techniques like radio-isotope scans and fluorescence spectroscopy to identify the unique chemical composition of gold, acting as a “DNA” to pinpoint its origin. Researchers analyze nano-sized impurities, such as trace metals and other elements, that remain embedded in the gold. The program, developed in collaboration with universities, also leverages state-of-the-art particle accelerators to enhance the precision of these analyses.
This technology was adapted for mining investigations from methods originally developed for archaeology. Roger Dixon, a geologist from the University of Pretoria, was a pioneer in using these techniques to differentiate legal gold from stolen metal.
“Nature has marked gold with isotopes, and we can read these unique fingerprints,” said Humberto Freire, head of the Federal Police’s Environment and Amazon Department. “This allows us to trace illegal gold before it is refined for export.”
Strengthened Enforcement and Results
The use of forensic technology has significantly boosted enforcement efforts. Seizures of illegal gold have increased seven-fold over the past seven years, with 2023 seeing a 38% rise compared to 2022, according to government data. The administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has also introduced tighter regulations, including mandatory electronic tax receipts for all gold transactions and closer monitoring of suspicious activity.
The Federal Police estimate that about 40% of the gold extracted in the Amazon is mined illegally. In 2020, Brazil exported 110 metric tonnes of gold worth $5 billion, ranking among the world’s largest exporters. However, exports fell to 77.7 metric tonnes in 2022, a decline attributed to the government’s crackdown on illegal mining operations.
This effort reflects Brazil’s commitment to addressing the environmental destruction and violence associated with unlawful mining while protecting the Amazon and its Indigenous communities.
