Goldmine-10

A Gold Miner uses a Metal Panning Dish to wash gold collected in a hillside into the forest in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil on April 05, 2007. In the heart of Brazil's Amazon jungle, a new gold rush has taken hold along the banks of the River Juma, 450 kilometers from Manaus. Over 4,000 people, known as garimpeiros, have flocked to the site, drawn by the promise of riches. The mining camp, ElDorado do Juma, has rapidly transformed from a remote area to a thriving, chaotic settlement, attracting men and women from across Brazil.
The reality of mining in ElDorado do Juma is harsh. Miners endure intense heat, mosquitoes, and poor sanitary conditions, with limited access to clean drinking water. As more people arrive, the strain on resources grows, and environmental concerns mount, with fears that the region could suffer the same fate as the notorious Serra Pelada mine, which left a devastated landscape in the 1980s.
While some work the gold-rich plots, others profit by providing goods and services. Basic necessities like rice, beans, and chicken are expensive, and luxury items, such as Coca-Cola, can cost ten times more than in larger cities. Local shopkeepers like Jussara work long hours, selling overpriced goods to miners, for others, the camp offers a chance to rebuild their lives. Lindinalva, 27, found a new sense of self-worth working as a housekeeper for miners after a painful divorce. 
As the gold rush intensifies, ElDorado do Juma remains a microcosm of ambition, survival, and exploitation. The miners and entrepreneurs who flock to the site are drawn by the dream of wealth, but beneath the surface lies a complex web of human struggle and environmental cost.(Photo: Apu Gomes)

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