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Jorge Silva / Reuters
An aerial view shows an illegal mine in the jungle in southern Venezuela.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
An illegal miner or garimpeiro works in a mine close to the Ikabaru river in southern Venezuela.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
Rough diamonds are seen on the desk of a trader in his office in Santa Elena de Uairen in the south of Venezuela.
In the triangle that connects Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana a huge number of illegal gold and diamond prospectors — garimpeiros — dream of changing their lives overnight by finding a huge bonanza.
Writing on Reuters' photographers blog, Jorge Silva describes his journey to document these remote mines:
We are just north of the Amazon Basin, riding a boat on the Ikabaru River. The passengers are people who buy gold and diamonds. They stop at each of the illegal mines that appear as craters on the river’s edge. They carry small weighing scales that seem very accurate, magnifying loupes, burners to melt the gold and separate the mercury, and some large spoons to collect it.
They are also carrying bags full of cash.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
An illegal mine is seen in the southern Venezuelan state of Bolivar, near the border with Brazil.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
A man performs maintenance while sitting on the top of an Antonov An-2 aircraft before it departs with supplies to the mines, in the town of Ikabaru in the south of Venezuela.
The appeal of working in illegal mining is enormous. Four grams of gold equal an average monthly wage in Venezuela. An ounce of the metal goes for over $1,700. The gold fever is understandable if you consider that an ounce used to sell for $250 ten years ago.
But in these mines, and the towns around them, life is expensive. A bottle of water costs around $12, and a 250-liter tank of gasoline, which would cost just $5 in the rest of the country, here goes for up to $1,200. Venezuela is known for having the cheapest gasoline in the world.
Masked men stole 70 gold bars from fishing boat in Curacao
Those who can, work hard. They don’t know if they will be able to carry on. The government is threatening to clamp down on clandestine mining. Thousands of families and whole towns live off this activity, directly or indirectly.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
A garimpeiro digs with a pressure hose in Bolivar.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
Heavily armed guards hold their weapons outside a business licensed to buy rough diamonds and gold in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana.
In a city nearby, a diamond buyer adjusted the gun on his waist while he greeted a miner who brought some “rocks.” He passionately explained that diamonds are the perfect currency. “You can carry thousands of dollars in the pocket of your pants without setting off any metal detector. There are no borders for them.”
Back at the mine, Ramón walked exhausted at the end of his workday. His face, ravaged by the sun, was sprinkled with mud. When he smiled, a golden “R” became visible, inlaid in one of his front teeth. Read the full story.
Jorge Silva / Reuters
An miner named Ramon flashes a gold letter 'R' on his tooth as he smiles after working in a mine in Bolivar.
Editor's note: Images taken in November, 2012 and made available to NBC News today.
Leave a Comment:
The raping and pillaging of the Earth continues unabated...
perfectly phased :(
If someone does not pillage Earth, we all would be walking on jungles and naked...
someone has to do the job, if that someone does, then, why envying them?
No doubt a white triumphal exceptionalist idle comment from the largest arms dealer on the planet.
Same thing is going on in Ghana, Africa. Ever see the new show on the Discovery channel, Jungle Gold? There are many illegal mines there, as well as legitimate mines. Many of the illegal mines are being run by armed Chinese who are just coming in & taking over & mining land that they haven't paid for & haven't been approved to mine.
People will always pursue fortune & fame at the expense of others or at the expense of nature. It's not right but that is just the way it is. Humans are greedy.
Why do you say that you are "greedy"?
Some may comment about raping or pillaging the earth, some may say that the same thing happens in Africa....really? I am pretty sure you don't go to Zales, or get them from DeBeer's for this commercial christmas that is just a few days around the corner eh? The poor people on the jungles are just trying to earn some living with out getting in the illegal trade of drugs, after all, who do they belong to? the Jungle? the corrupt government of that country? or in the collar of some stupid Chihuahua that Paris Hilton have?
I don't know what you do but I don't buy jewelry of any kind for anyone. In fact I don't buy anyone Christmas presents or birthday presents. I haven't bought anything for anyone in years. It is all a waste of time & money. I also don't expect anyone to buy me anything for Christmas or for my birthday.
This suits me fine because I don't have to worry about wasting money I don't have. I also don't have to feel obligated to return the favor by buying other people gifts & I don't have to go through the hassle of shopping.
Do not feel insulted, but don't kill yourself... I understand now why you "don't buy anyone" anything... it is clear. But I bet if you had enough as the 1% you would buy a lot of those stones (really worthless). My apologies.
The 1% have no country, for the own Earth!
Decent article but why not tell us the readers how much one of these guys made in say a years time? How did they get started mining as it would require some equipment and basic supplies to even get started and where did they get those funds in poor country like this? I would hope that when an article like this is done you folks would do your best to give us the whole story, not just bits and pieces like it seems is becoming more and more common these days. I would have liked to know more about Roman and maybe even his helpers/co-owners?, stuff like that. When does it seem the government is going to be stepping in to stop this all from taking lace and if they did what do you think would happen?Maybe I'm just asking for too much info on a cool story.Thanks for what you did give us.
Everything here is perfect, they are working for the 1% (of the profit). Got it?