Mining drives extensive deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

TLDR

Mining poses significant risks to tropical forests, and in Brazil's Amazon it drives deforestation far beyond lease boundaries, yet the full extent remains unknown and is neglected in licensing. The study quantifies mining‑induced deforestation and investigates which aspects of mining operations most likely contribute. The authors examine pathways such as mining infrastructure, urban expansion, and commodity supply chain development that lead to deforestation extending up to 70 km beyond lease boundaries. Mining caused 11,670 km² of deforestation between 2005 and 2015—9 % of total Amazon loss and 12 times more than within leases—underscoring the need for licensing to address both on‑ and off‑lease deforestation.

Abstract

Mining poses significant and potentially underestimated risks to tropical forests worldwide. In Brazil's Amazon, mining drives deforestation far beyond operational lease boundaries, yet the full extent of these impacts is unknown and thus neglected in environmental licensing. Here we quantify mining-induced deforestation and investigate the aspects of mining operations, which most likely contribute. We find mining significantly increased Amazon forest loss up to 70 km beyond mining lease boundaries, causing 11,670 km2 of deforestation between 2005 and 2015. This extent represents 9% of all Amazon forest loss during this time and 12 times more deforestation than occurred within mining leases alone. Pathways leading to such impacts include mining infrastructure establishment, urban expansion to support a growing workforce, and development of mineral commodity supply chains. Mining-induced deforestation is not unique to Brazil; to mitigate adverse impacts of mining and conserve tropical forests globally, environmental assessments and licensing must considered both on- and off-lease sources of deforestation.