Multispecies Analysis of the Socio-Environmental Costs of Illegal Gold Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru: A Reflection on Capitalist Value

Gold is perhaps the most iconic symbol of capitalism. Its surge as a commodity in global markets has driven the growth of gold mining all around the world, incentivizing those who desired to accumulate wealth through its exploitation. In the Peruvian Amazon, particularly in the Madre de Dios region, illegal gold mining is widespread. The present study analyzes this phenomenon through the use of a multispecies ethnographic approach, focusing on the diverse agents involved: miners, indigenous communities, settlers, non-human species, market intermediaries, and consumers. This study explores how illegal mining has transformed the social context of the region, attracting migrants to work in the mines and displacing indigenous communities or encouraging them to resort to mining for survival. In addition, the emergence of other illicit practices in mining areas, such as prostitution, child labor and crime, is explored. The transformation of the region's ecosystems is also analyzed, as illegal mining causes extensive deforestation and mercury contamination of rivers and soils, endangering many species, including our own. Following the analysis of the in-situ phenomenon of illegal mining, its supply chain, from the Amazon to the global market, is elucidated, exploring how illegal gold is laundered and sold to suppliers who accumulate capital with this commodity. After analyzing the phenomenon, this study examines how the capitalist valuation of gold has induced the expansion of illegal mining in the region, along with its socio-environmental consequences. It concludes with a reflection on the capitalist valuation of gold and suggests a different way to value it, as well as other natural entities in the region, based on their inherent worth.