“Report: Waimiri-Atroari people and Alalaú River call for help amid mining company leak,” September 29, 2025
Representatives of the Waimiri-Atroari people point to the possibility that toxic waste from mining operations is polluting the Alalaú River, located in Presidente Figueiredo (AM), on the border with the state of Roraima. Residents and Indigenous leaders report signs of contamination in the water: foul odor, foam, dead fish, and even cases of children falling ill. Preliminary reports indicate the presence of mercury at alarming levels, posing risks both to public health and to the region’s environmental balance...
There are 22 villages that depend directly on the river for food, hunting, drinking water, and cultural survival. Now, this source of life may have become a threat. In light of suspected contamination, Indigenous communities have suspended fish consumption, halted hunting activities, and even stopped daily use of the water...
Mining company Taboca, which operates in the area and is currently controlled by Chinese state-owned CNMC (China Nonferrous Mining Metal Company), is cited as the main suspect for the contamination in a conflict with the communities that has lasted for about 40 years...
In response to the Observatório da Mineração team, the company claimed that “the dams are not leaking and that the rivers were not contaminated due to any responsibility of the company. According to Taboca, the change in water quality is solely due to excessive rainfall recorded in the region”...

[Unofficial translation by BHRRC]