A photo shared by NASA shows a Gold mine in eastern Peru shining like a “river of gold.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared a photo taken by astronauts in space. The photo shows gold mines in eastern Peru glowing and stretching like a “river of gold” from space.
The photo was taken by an astronaut with a digital camera on Dec. 24, 2020, on the International Space Station (ISS). This is the result of a combination of sunlight and favorable weather conditions.
NASA noted that the “river of gold” in the photo is a combination of many gold mines in the Department of Madre de Dios, Peru.
These gold mines appear shiny because of the sun’s reflected light, but they are usually obscured by clouds, making it difficult for astronauts on the International Space Station to see.
The gold mines were probably dug by artisanal miners, and each pit is surrounded by areas of destroyed vegetation and muddy spoil. This tree-felled land follows the course of ancient rivers that held a variety of deposits, including gold.
Peru is the 6th largest gold producer in the world, and the Madre de Dios region is Home to one of the world’s largest populations of artisanal miners. Mining is the main cause of deforestation in the region, and the process of extracting gold has caused mercury contamination. However, tens of thousands of local people depend on illegal mining for their livelihood.
NASA’s photo shows the names of places and rivers. (NASA)
On the left side of this NASA photo, one can see the winding Inambari River. This river and gold mine cut through the Amazon rainforest in the Madre de Dios region. If not for these pits, the rainforest would have been untouched.
Below this photo you can also see the Southern Interoceanic Highway. This highway, which opened in 2011, is the only land route between Brazil and Peru. It was built to stimulate trade and tourism, but it has also led to over-exploitation of land and deforestation.
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