The Amazon Rainforest is commonly referred to as the “lungs of the Earth.” This vast, humid and green territory covers about 6.7 million square kilometers across nine countries in South America—roughly twice the size of India. While the forest is invaluable for its biome and as the home of Indigenous peoples, it remains under constant pressure from extractive activity. Gold mining, for example, both legal and illegal, has long been established in the region and drives an economy worth billions of dollars each year.    

Besides causing deforestation, the exploitation of the forest floor in search of gold often leaves behind heavily degraded land and releases mercury into waterways and the atmosphere. Globally, artisanal mining accounts for about one-third of all mercury released into the environment.

Beyond the impact on nature, gold mining also causes undeniable social harm. Miners themselves are directly affected by mercury vapors that emerge during the process, causing serious short-term and long-term health effects, including neurological disorders and kidney damage. At the same time, for many people involved, mining remains one of the few viable ways to earn an income and support their families, as other alternatives are scarce.

Because much of the gold mining in Madre de Dios is informal or illegal and therefore not fully captured in official statistics, estimates remain imprecise. Still, they suggest that the sector is worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year and may account for around 70% of the local economy. Yet the challenges linked to gold mining cannot be understood from a purely local perspective. They are complex, multifaceted, and fundamentally global. It sits within a wider system that extends beyond immediate territorial context, livelihoods, and environmental degradation. It includes broader regulatory challenges, violence and organized crime, international gold markets, and global supply chains, to name a few. 

In this series of texts and interviews, we take a closer look at the reality of gold mining in Peru’s Madre de Dios region and the international demand it feeds. By presenting a diverse range of perspectives, we aim to highlight the current situation on the ground and connect local and global approaches used to shape new solutions. 

In the region of Madre de Dios, gold mining is carried out mainly by artisanal miners operating on a non-industrial basis. These workers are often marginalized, working mostly informally or illegally (Take a quick dive into gold mining in Madre de Dios). At the same time, they are themselves subject to violence, crime, and insecurity. According to a survey conducted by the Wyss Academy, 75% of miners have been victims of robbery. This figure is three times higher than the national average in Peru.

Using a systemic approach, the Wyss Academy began working on the challenges of gold mining in Madre de Dios five years ago, with the aim of identifying and testing solutions that could benefit both people and nature. By engaging with actors locally and internationally, and by studying the sector’s social and environmental impacts, Wyss Academy scientists, together with the Hub South America team in Peru, have since developed a range of experiments, supported by local partners and other stakeholders. This collaboration is also the basis for ongoing transdisciplinary research on the topic of mining. (Understand how transdisciplinary research works)

Over time, it has generated a deeper understanding of the conditions needed to support a more responsible model of mining—one that reflects local needs while acknowledging the wider global system in which the sector operates. This includes work on technology, formalization, access to formal markets, and behavior change across different parts of society.

One of the innovations that is slowly being adopted in the region is the use of mercury-free technology, which can reduce some of the social and environmental impact of this activity. The “gold shaker table”, for instance, is a mechanical device used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining after sediment has been collected. The table is slightly inclined and vibrates while water flows across its surface, separating gold from other materials without the use of mercury. Lucila Ampuero, a formally operating gold miner from Playa Marta in Madre de Dios, adopted the technology a few years ago and shared her perspective on mining and on working with a a mercury-free solution. (Read the full interview with Lucila Ampuero)

The Wyss Academy team has also begun exploring how behavior change toward more sustainable practices in artisanal gold mining might be encouraged, responding to a gap identified in the scientific literature and in reports by international organizations. This includes practices such as phasing out mercury, restoring degraded land, and adopting technologies that reduce deforestation.

In one study, the Wyss Academy tested different narratives to examine whether positive framing can help encourage behavior change. Could a new narrative around gold mining support a more positive transformation of the sector? To explore this question, the team developed and experimentally tested a storyline based on a drama triangle, using the roles of victim, villain, and hero to better understand how aspirational narratives may influence change in the gold mining sector. (Find out how aspirational narratives can influence change in the gold mining sector)

Other ongoing research by the Wyss Academy looks beyond miners’ behavior to examine the role of consumers and intermediaries across the global gold value chain. Focusing on the actors that drive demand for mined gold, one study engages with major gold buyers and refineries in Switzerland to assess their readiness to source cleaner, more sustainable gold, as well as the requirements and regulations shaping their decisions.

This work reflects the understanding that encouraging miners to change their practices is not enough on its own. Suppliers and buyers must also be part of the transition toward more formal and responsible supply chains. While the impacts of gold mining are most visible locally, they are embedded in a complex global system shaped by international markets, regulations, and supply-and-demand dynamics. Addressing those impacts therefore requires long-term solutions that engage actors at every level. (Find out more about this research)

Reports and project outputs on this topic are listed below:

1. Artisanal Mining, Narratives and Clean Technology Adoption: Evidence from a Field Experiment in the Amazon. Co-authors: Fernando Fernandez, Kai Gehring, Matteo Grigoletto and Arne Weiss 

2. Breaking the gridlock: zero-sum thinking, identity and mutually beneficial reforms. Co-authors: Fernando Fernandez, Kai Gehring, Matteo Grigoletto 

3. Are the markets ready for responsible gold from artisanal and small-scale miners? Co-authors: Martina Burger, Elisabeth Burgi, Julie Zaehringer, Fernando Fernandez 

4. Understanding artisanal mining: technology, formalization and market access. Co-authors: Ronny M. Condor, Mathieu Couttenier, Fernando Fernandez, Kai Gehring and Arne Weiss 

5. Challenges and Opportunities for Formalization of Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Evidence from a conjoint experiment in the Peruvian Amazon. Co-authors: Stefano Jud, Quynh Nguyen, Elena Borasino, Arne Weiss, Matteo Grigoletto, Kai Gehring, Fernando Fernandez 

6. Reports: a) Supply chain of artisanal mines in Madre de Dios; b) Mapping buyers of gold from Madre de Dios 

Article written by Julia Cunha