{"id":25122,"date":"2025-06-02T18:34:34","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T18:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=25122"},"modified":"2025-06-02T18:35:05","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T18:35:05","slug":"why-forests-in-the-amazon-arent-recovering-after-gold-mining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/why-forests-in-the-amazon-arent-recovering-after-gold-mining\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Forests in the Amazon Aren&#8217;t Recovering After Gold Mining"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">New research reveals why forests in the Peruvian Amazon struggle to regenerate after gold mining. The study highlights severe soil and water depletion caused by suction mining, making reforestation nearly impossible.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>New research has shed light on why the Peruvian Amazon is struggling to recover from gold mining activities. The study, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43247-025-02332-y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the journal Communications Earth &amp; Environment, attributes this environmental challenge not only to soil degradation but also to a significant reduction in water availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The research emphasizes that the common gold mining method called suction mining reshapes the terrain by draining moisture and trapping heat, creating inhospitable conditions for tree seedlings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve known that soil degradation slows forest recovery,&#8221; co-author Josh West, a professor of Earth sciences and environmental studies at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, said in a news release. &#8220;But this is different. The mining process dries out the land, making it inhospitable for new trees.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Impact of Gold Mining<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Led by Abra Atwood, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Woodwell Climate Research Center and a former student of West who earned her doctorate at USC Dornsife in 2023, the research team examined abandoned gold mining sites in the Madre de Dios region of Peru. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team, comprising also of researchers from Columbia University, Arizona State University and Peru\u2019s Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, used advanced tools such as drones, soil sensors and underground imaging to study the impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The method of suction mining involves blasting soil with high-pressure water cannons. This process filters out gold particles but washes away nutrient-rich topsoil, leaving behind stagnant ponds and towering sand piles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Electrical resistivity imaging, a technique used by the researchers, showed that sand piles drain rainwater up to 100 times faster than undisturbed soil and dry out nearly five times quicker, leaving insufficient moisture for new roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;It\u2019s like trying to grow a tree in an oven,&#8221; added West, emphasizing the challenging conditions on sand piles where surface temperatures can reach up to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reforestation Challenges and Solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite some regrowth near pond edges and low-lying areas, large patches of land remain bare, particularly where sand piles dominate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;When roots can\u2019t find water and surface temperatures are scorching, even replanted seedlings just die,&#8221; Atwood said in the news release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The difficulties faced in reforesting these mining-damaged areas pose a significant threat to the Amazon\u2019s biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From 1980 to 2017, small-scale gold mining obliterated over 95,000 hectares of rainforest in Madre de Dios \u2014 a region more than seven times the size of San Francisco. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gold mining continues to drive nearly 10% of deforestation across the Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is hope in rethinking recovery efforts. The researchers suggest that active reshaping of mine-altered terrain \u2014 flattening sand piles and filling in ponds \u2014 could improve moisture retention and aid tree regrowth. This is critical as natural erosion is too slow to address the urgency of reforestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;There\u2019s only one Amazon rainforest,&#8221; added West. &#8220;It\u2019s a living system unlike anything else on Earth. If we lose it, we lose something irreplaceable.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/news\/stories\/amazon-gold-mining-impedes-reforestation-efforts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New research has shed light on why the Peruvian Amazon is struggling to recover from gold mining activities. The study, published in the journal Communications Earth &amp; Environment, attributes this environmental challenge not only to soil degradation but also to a significant reduction in water availability. The research emphasizes that the common gold mining method [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[196,264,364,40,363],"class_list":["post-25122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sustainability","tag-arizona-state-university","tag-columbia-university","tag-universidad-nacional-de-san-antonio-abad-del-cusco","tag-university-of-southern-california","tag-woodwell-climate-research-center"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"New research has shed light on why the Peruvian Amazon is struggling to recover from gold mining activities. The study, published in the journal Communications Earth &amp; Environment, attributes this environmental challenge not only to soil degradation but also to a significant reduction in water availability. The research emphasizes that the common gold mining method&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25122"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25172,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25122\/revisions\/25172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}