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Madre de Dios(15 images)
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  • STORY:.Madre de Dios is considered Peru's final frontier. Located in the southeast corner in the jungles of the Amazon, it is the poorest region in terms of economics, but perhaps the richest in natural resources. Gold has been rediscoveredm and with it goldmining. Artisianl mining - single person or family base skimming has given way to larger companies, who are devestating the land and exporting both the resources and much of the profits. What is beign left behind in an ecological mess in terms of deforestation and mercury poisoning. ..<br /> <br /> CAPTION:.Puerto Maldonado, PERU, Feb. 9, 2007 - A view from a busted up taxi cab in downtown Puerto Maldonado, considered to be Peru's last frontier town. Its economy is based almost solely on gold mining, along with some timber and oil exploration. It is a largely lawless area, where the citizens police themselves. Even so, crime is relatively non-existent and the region's economy has seen a steady growth over the last twenty years. .. By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_001.jpg
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  • Laberinto, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - At 6 a.m. local mining suppliers prepare their boats for their daily run into the jungle to deliver food, tools and the occasional miner, on the Madre de Dios River. The area is considered the last frontier in Peru, and it's economy is made up almost entirely on gold mining, with timber making up the rest. The government has tried to help the region by promoting tourism, but most of the lodges in the area are owned by outside interests, so all tourism money flows out of the area. Former miner, Nadir Gnan says that if it weren?t for the gold, poverty here would be rampant. Adding, "This gives the people a chance to make a decent wage for their families." By photographer daryl peveto
    gold_03.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - Miners work to drive logs into a pit, using nothing more than rope and their own strength. The posts are tied together in order to hold up an ore sifter. The entire operation is very rudimentary, leaving the miners to use truck engines to pump the earth from the pit, and their own ingenuity and physical strength to make due for the rest. The miners of this crew work in 24-hour shifts, one day on and one day off, earning on average 11?2 to 2 grams of gold per day, or about $30 to 45 dollars. . By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_002.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - Miners work to clear an area in the jungle to expand their mining pit. The locals feel that, though they are cutting down precious forest and damaging the local ecosystem, that their work ultimately does far less damage to the environment then the other options: timber and oil drilling. The miners of this crew work in 24-hour shifts, one day on and one day off, earning on average 1½ to 2 grams of gold per day, or about $30 to 45 dollars. . By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_003.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Labertino Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 ? A view of a series of gold mining pits deep within the jungle of Madre de Dion. In Peru, artisanal mining, a type of small-scale mining that produces gold exclusively, has proliferated due to a combination of survival and opportunity. In Madre de Dios, one of the least populated departments of the country, the discovery of gold in placers and riverbeds, has caused a massive immigration from the poorer regions. In Peru, where the economic rate of growth has been decreasing since the decade of the ?70s, artisanal mining has become an important work generator for people unable to find employment in the ever weaker labor markets. The income of artisanal miners is estimated at $200 per month, almost double the minimum vital wage paid in the city of Lima.. By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_004.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - A group of miners pause for a moment having just transported a truck engine, re-tooled to use as a pump, onto a makeshift pontoon raft in one of the mining pits. The entire operation is very rudimentary, leaving the miners to use truck engines to pump the earth from the pit, and their own ingenuity and physical strength to make due for the rest. The miners of this crew work in 24-hour shifts, one day on and one day off, earning on average 1 1/2 to 2 grams of gold per day, or about $30 to 45 dollars. . By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_005.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - A trio of miners work to repair a pipe used for blasting the pits. By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_006.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - A miner sifts though his crew's day's work of gold, which is mixed here with mercury to separate it from the dirt and ore. Once it is clean, the mercury is burnt off, with only the gold remaining. In an effort to save money and a feeble attempt to prevent too much mercury getting into the environment, the gas is captured in the process and most of it returned for reuse. Even so, mercury contamination is the principle environmental problem brought about by artisanal Mining in the region. The indiscriminate and inefficient use of mercury for gold amalgamation, have been the cause of large quantities being lost and introduced into the environment in both liquid form or in the form of gasses. It is estimated that 70 tons a year are lost in the Madre de Dios region alone. By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_007.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - A miner stands under an ore sifter, waiting for the pump to be connected. The miners use re-tooled truck engines to pump water in order to blast away the earth in the pits and then to pump the mud, gravel and ore out of the pit passing along the sifter. The gold is absorbed into the felt sheets on the sifter, while the gravel is separated and the mud is diluted and returns to the pit. The felt sheets are then washed and the gold is put into buckets to be separated with mercury. By photographer daryl peveto
    gold_09.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - A trio of miners work wait patiently for the results of their efforts from the previous day. The gold is first separated using mercury; then it is melted, divided and weighed. These men, who work 24-hour shifts, earned the equivalent of $35 for their previous day. . By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_008.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Labertino Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - Part of the miner?s camp livestock, three geese wash themselves in the morning rain, near the mess tent. The miners are provided three meals a day and a place to sleep as a part of their pay. They eat vegetables and rice during the week, and are provided meat on the weekends. . By photographer daryl peveto
    gold_10.jpg
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  • Laberinto Island, Peru, 8 February 2007 - Just coming off of their 24 hour shift, the even crew site together for a meal of rice and potatoes. The men are served three meals a day in addition to their pay. The eat vegetables during the week and are treated to chicken or jungle meat on the weekends. By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_009.jpg
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  • Puerto Maldonado, PERU, Feb. 9, 2007 -Alberto Fernandez looks across to his neighbors yard as he builds a new boat to ferry supplies to the gold mines in the jungle. Both men are wood workers and supply their craft as contractors to the gold mining industry. . By photographer daryl peveto
    gold_02.jpg
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  • Laberinto Island, Peru, 8 February 2007. Javier Aboleda is led by the hand of his daughter, Tutu, accross the camp to dinner. Most miners live here alone, their families back in town. Many work for as long as six to nine months before going home. The work schedule and the decline in profits keep the men working for longer and longer periods. Arboleda, who has been at the camp for seven months, decided to pay for his wife and daughter to visit because he says he missed them too much. By photographer daryl peveto
    Gold_010.jpg
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  • In the jungle near Laberinto Island, PERU, Feb. 8, 2007 - A lonely soccer ball sets in the middle of a makeshift soccer field near the gold miner's camp in the jungle of the Madre de Dios. The miners, who work 24-hour shifts, one day on and one off, have little time or energy for recreation. The long hours and grueling work of artisanal mining means the miners spend their day off recuperating and preparing for the next. By photographer daryl peveto
    gold_11.jpg
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