Assessing Mining Pressure in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Analysis of environmental and social impacts

Mining has enabled the development of the modern world by extracting resources that drive technological advancements. This is not the case for the growth of illegal mining, which destroys ecosystems and local economies. In the Ecuadorian Amazon, this activity has intensified in recent decades due to increased prices in the mining sector. This study classified the environmental and social impacts of mining in the Jatunyacu River basin, analyzing geospatial data through a multi-criteria framework. The Mining Pressure Index (MPI) integrated geological-mining, environmental and social variables, with values assigned by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Results showed high mining pressure at the middle and lower of the basin, driven by illegal alluvial mining near rivers. Upper areas in the basin exhibited lower pressure due to conservation areas and less exploitable lithology. The MPI helps policymakers prioritize conservation, resolve mining conflicts, and protect ecosystems and communities on the Amazon.