Gold Fever
- 16 Apr 08, 03:25 PM
Posted from: Gold Mine, Grota Rica
I had thought 'gold rushes', where people flock to an area of wilderness in the hope of striking it rich, were long gone, replaced by large corporations using heavy machinery to dig up the precious ore. But the frenzied search for gold is happening right now in the Brazilian Amazon.
Zubin, Keith and Bruce filming in the mine
Two years ago a TV report on the Grota Rica mine sparked one of the most recent outbreaks of 'gold fever'. Tales of men finding 15 Kgs of precious metal in a week lured men and women from all over Brazil to this area of pristine rainforest. The town that has sprung up around the mine could be straight out of a cowboy film. The muddy main street is made up of hardware stores and bars, though the tinkling of a piano has been replaced by blaring Brazilian pop music. Last night, we stayed up until all the generators had finally shut down, and the music ceased. The croaking of frogs and a visit from a praying mantis were welcome reminders of the jungle that surrounds us.
An open cast goldmine in action
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