Archive · 24 Jul 2025
Peru Seizes Mercury Bound for Illegal Gold Mines
Imagine someone trying to sneak a very dangerous chemical, like mercury, into a place where people are digging for gold.
The police in Peru found four tons of this mercury hidden inside a shipment of fake rocks.
This mercury was coming from Mexico and was supposed to go to Bolivia, likely to be used by people who are illegally mining gold.
Mercury is bad for the environment and people.
The amount found is the biggest ever seen in this part of South America.
This is happening because gold prices have gone up, making illegal gold mining more tempting.
The EIA helped the authorities find it.
Peruvian authorities seized four tons of mercury.
The mercury was concealed in a shipment of gravel from Mexico.
The shipment was en route to Bolivia for potential use in illegal gold mining.
The seizure is the largest on record in the Amazon region.
The EIA alerted Peruvian authorities to the shipment.
- Who
- Peruvian authorities, EIA, and mercury traffickers.
- What
- Peruvian authorities seized four tons of mercury.
- When
- Recent, as reported on Thursday.
- Where
- Callao port in Peru, destined for Bolivia.
- Why
- Mercury was likely intended for illegal gold mining due to high gold prices.
- Mercury Quantity
- 4 metric tons
- Origin
- Mexico
- Destination
- Bolivia
- Mercury Use
- Illegal Gold Mining
- Gold Price Increase
- 28.5% so far this year
- Mercury Price
- $330 per kilogram
- Largest Seizure Record
- Yes, in the Amazon region.