The Federal Police (PF) closed two illegal gold mines on Thursday (24), which together explored an area equivalent to approximately 240 soccer fields. The places were located near the BR-155 highway, between the municipalities of Rio Maria and Xinguara, in southern Pará.
The operation, named “Alchemy”, was triggered to combat environmental crimes and resulted in the seizure of 12 backhoes used in soil excavation. Two pounds of mercury and two pickup trucks were also seized.
According to investigations, in these mining may have been illegally extracted about 440 pounds of gold. The PF estimates that social and environmental damages, added to the value of the ore removed, represent a potential loss of up to R $ 800 million.
Investigations continue to identify all involved in illegal exploitation, as well as the extracted gold buyers.
The operation was named “Alchemy” because it began from the calculation of a copper mining, but eventually revealed an extensive area degraded by illegal gold mining. The name alludes to the ancient belief of alchemists that it would be possible to transform common metals such as copper into gold.
This content was originally published in PF closes mines that exploited an area equivalent to 240 soccer fields on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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