The illegal activity also carries an enormous ecological price. Mercury is most commonly used to extract gold particles, but illegal miners use it in an inappropriate way, letting the toxic metal contaminate rivers and destroying wildlife’s natural habitats.
The latest crackdown is not, however, the first time Peru tries intimidating illegals with massive operations. In November last year, the government sent 1,000 police to dismantle gold mining camps in the same area, known as La Pampa.
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