Scientists link illegal mining to malaria surge in Amazon
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Researchers in Brazil connected illegal gold mining to increased malaria cases among the Yanomami people in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory.
A study revealed that for every one percent increase in mining area within the territory, monthly malaria cases rose by 24 percent. The research team, led by Marcia Castro from Harvard University, analyzed satellite images and health ministry data to demonstrate how miners spread the disease both through their movements and by creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Following a peak during the 2019-2022 administration, the Brazilian government responded to widespread images of sick and malnourished Yanomami by deploying a task force to remove miners and provide healthcare. This intervention led to a dramatic decrease in mining activity, from around 1,800 hectares in 2022 to 29 hectares in 2024, and a corresponding 55 percent drop in malaria cases between January and July of 2026.
Currently, Castro and her colleagues are developing an early warning system to predict malaria outbreaks. This system will use data on mining, deforestation, and climate to alert local health officials, allowing them to proactively address potential surges. A new weekly data tool from MapBiomas, detailing newly opened mines, will further enhance the system, expected to be operational in early 2027.
The Yanomami people, who number 31,567 across the Yanomami Indigenous Territory spanning parts of Roraima and Amazonas states, fear a resurgence of the crisis if a government with opposing environmental policies takes power in upcoming elections.
