Gold mining and perinatal mortality: New evidence for Colombia

Gold production is a crucial source of income in Colombia and many other developing countries. However, mining generates hazardous by-products, particularly heavy metals, which pose serious risks to human health. Exposure to these pollutants has been linked to both acute and chronic diseases, with especially severe effects on maternal and child health. While previous studies have documented the environmental and health impacts of mining, most provide general assessments that mainly focus on water contamination. This paper aims to provide a more targeted analysis. Using municipality-level panel data for Colombia, it examines the relationship between gold production and perinatal mortality. The findings indicate that municipalities producing up to 0.25 tons of gold per year experience an increase of 2.76 perinatal deaths per 100,000 population compared to municipalities that do not produce gold. This effect is consistently positive and varies with the scale of production. The results highlight the urgent need for more stringent environmental and public health protection in mining-intensive regions.