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The new gold rush — what is the threat?
Every day, tens of thousands of people dig through the earth and riverbeds in search of tiny bits of gold ore. A new gold rush has gripped the world.
A few years ago, makeshift huts set up in the jungle near the Peruvian town of La Rinconada became home to dozens of daredevils from all over the country. When word got out that gold could be found here, amateurs of quick money started arriving: adventurers, debtors, thieves — a wide cross-section of society. The locals call them garimpeiros. There are not many permanent residents here, because the harsh conditions provoke high turnover, but new ones come every day. Regularly come only prostitutes and tool sellers, because they can always count on earnings. There is a pharmacy and even a bar, but the social life revolves around a makeshift gold collection point, which weighs and divides up the found material. Those who are lucky dig up a few grams a day, unlucky ones end up in the ground with a bullet in their backs, because a big find is a big temptation for the others.
If anyone thinks that the gold rush is a relic of ancient times, they are very wrong. Around the world, tens of thousands of people are risking their lives in primitive mines to change their fortunes. The temptation to make a quick buck is stronger than common sense.
