"Rich countries may be buying illegal gold that’s driving Amazon destruction", 03 September 2021

...Ninety percent of this illegal extraction was carried out by garimpeiros, wildcat miners, with the gold valued at $229 million. It was also linked to 21,000 hectares (nearly 52,000 acres) of Amazon deforestation in the states of Pará, Mato Grosso and Amazonas, according to the report.

Canada, the U.K. and Switzerland together accounted for 72% of Brazil’s gold exports during this period, the report found. Although the researchers were unable to track the exact amount of illegal gold exported, they said “it is very likely that those countries have imported gold linked to destructive activities in the Amazon”...

...[T]here’s been exponential growth in mining activities within protected areas, Indigenous reserves and conservation units...

Prosecutors from the MPF are now using the UFMG researchers’ findings to file lawsuits against those involved in illegal mining.

The first lawsuit seeks the suspension of the three financial institutions reportedly behind the purchase of 70% of illegal gold in the country. FD Gold, Carol and Ourominas (OM) are accused of selling more than 4.3 metric tons of illegal gold between 2019 and 2020 domestically and internationally...

In a statement, FD Gold said it “does not know the content of the action and the object of the lawsuit,” adding it will respond “within the deadlines and in the appropriate forum.” Carol and Ourominas did not immediately respond to Mongabay’s requests for comment.

A second lawsuit aims to suspend all permits to mine, sell and export gold from the Pará’s southwest region, including the municipalities of Itaituba, Jacareacanga and Novo Progresso. Prosecutors allege that the intensifying invasions and violence promoted by gangs of illegal miners are “seriously impacting” the Munduruku and Kayapó Indigenous groups who call the reserve home.