Illegal miners extract billions in Amazon gold despite Brazil crackdown, Greenpeace finds

A Greenpeace study found illegal miners are extracting and laundering large volumes of Amazon gold despite President Lula’s crackdown, using “ghost” permits to mask origin and sell metal through formal channels. Researchers analysed 187 ANM‑issued permit areas near Indigenous and protected lands and found 98 with no mining activity; ghost permits allegedly justified sales of 26.8 metric tons of gold worth about $3.88 billion from 2018 to March 2026. The report and on‑the‑ground verification of active illegal operations highlight enforcement and provenance risks that could weigh on market confidence in Brazilian gold supply chains. With gold at record highs amid geopolitical tensions, the findings raise reputational and regulatory risks for exporters and potential implications for pricing and due‑diligence requirements across the gold market.