Carlos Parra Rios

Photographer
   
Illegal Gold Mining in Colombia
Projects (6)
Clients: Rolling Stone, EL PAÍS , United Nations Development Program, Financial Times, VICE
School: VII Academy, Alliance Française Institución Universitaria de Barranquilla
Public Project
Illegal Gold Mining in Colombia
Copyright Carlos Parra Rios 2024
Date of Work Aug 2022 - Aug 2022
Updated Aug 2024
Location Antioquia, Colombia
Gold mining has always been an important activity in northwestern Colombia, but it has surged in recent years. The recent rise in gold prices and the country's measures against coca cultivation have driven an unprecedented demand for the valuable mineral, making gold the new cocaine. In response to the growing demand for gold, illegal mines have multiplied, and environmental pollution has become one of the most serious problems in this part of Colombia. Mining destroys mountains and the environment, drying up rivers and releasing dangerous pollutants in the process. Today, nearly 80% of the gold produced in Colombia comes from these mines, many of which fund guerrilla groups, paramilitaries, or criminal organizations.
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Illegal Gold Mining in Colombia by Carlos Parra Rios
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