Did you know that in 2019, CNBC news concluded that gold increased in value during the last seven years? According to CNBC, gold had a range of values above $1,730 per ounce, which sounds fantastic for Colombia in general. However, these values are also the reason why illegal mining is prominent in Colombia. ‘Alluvial gold mining: evidence from remote sensing 2019’ evidenced that “52% of gold mines in Colombia, not including underground, are in environmentally protected areas.” This means that the sudden increase of heavy machinery dispersed in areas where they should not be is illegal mining.
Furthermore, the most curious thing during the year 2019 was that the damage increased. According to El Tiempo, “… in 2019 there were 98,000 hectares exploited in the open.” Why would there be so much damage if the world was at the beginning of a full pandemic? Is Colombia’s natural life worth less than gold? Although gold is one cause of the problem, gold is not the root of illegal mining.
If the situation is closely inspected, it can be seen that illegal mining is prominent in the departments where the armed conflict is most outstanding. These departments are highly mineral-rich, which is attractive to armed conflict forces. For this reason, according to Esri: Illegal Mining, “Along with extortion, these groups (armed groups) directly manage areas of exploitation in their areas of influence (where they have control).” So, armed forces require a more prominent resource to sustain their conflict. Nevertheless, this is not enough. Esri: Illegal Mining explains that, in addition to the general environmental damage they cause by themselves, they use the “millionaire source of income (from) illegal immigrants that has become the fight against criminal mining in a matter of national security.” This means that the issue is not local anymore. Colombia faces a threat now because other greedy immigrants exploit without government permission. The government cannot take full control of the situation’s prominence because these are conflict zones under non-governmental groups. Therefore, as a consequence, Colombia faces a vicious cycle of destruction, which leads this situation to a matter of national and worldwide focus.
Illegal mining is no longer a problem for each department; rather, it is everyone’s problem. This problem involves us because this cycle increases every year. The root of this problem is the people’s hearts, the avarice, the pride, and the love for money. That is why the cycle that Colombians live in adds to all of the deficiencies that people complain about in the government. The cycle involves unemployment, poverty, armed conflict, and now more than ever, the air we breathe. The problem is of the heart, a problem that we all suffer. That is why we must unite to be more aware of our surroundings, and for the first time, think of the individual before us. It is time for people to support families in high poverty and unite to help restore areas affected by illegal mining.
By Cynthia Hanson, 12th Grade
