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Mining drives extensive deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Laura J Sonter1,2,3,4, Diego Herrera5,6,7, Damian J Barrett8
1Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, 617 Main Street, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA. l.sonter@uq.edu.au.
Nature Communications
|October 19, 2017
Summary
Mining causes extensive deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, extending far beyond mine boundaries. Environmental regulations must account for these off-site impacts to protect tropical forests globally.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Forest Ecology
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Mining presents underestimated risks to tropical forests globally.
- In Brazil's Amazon, mining-driven deforestation extends beyond operational lease boundaries, often neglected in environmental licensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify mining-induced deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
- To investigate mining operation aspects contributing to deforestation.
- To inform global environmental assessments and licensing for mining activities.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of deforestation using remote sensing data.
- Analysis of spatial extent of forest loss relative to mining leases.
- Identification of indirect drivers of deforestation linked to mining.
Main Results:
- Mining caused 11,670 km² of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2005 and 2015.
- Deforestation extended up to 70 km beyond mining lease boundaries.
- Mining-induced deforestation accounted for 9% of total Amazon forest loss and was 12 times greater than deforestation within leases.
Conclusions:
- Mining significantly drives deforestation far beyond direct operational areas.
- Indirect impacts include infrastructure, urban expansion, and supply chain development.
- Environmental assessments must include off-lease deforestation to mitigate global tropical forest loss.
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