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Peru's Gold Rush

For Assignment Rob Walker goes to the Peruvian Amazon to report on the gold rush there that is threatening the rainforest.

Poor farmers are flocking to the Peruvian Amazon in the hope of striking it rich as gold miners.

They are being lured by the record prices gold has reached in the last few years.

But illegal mining is causing massive mercury pollution and depleting forests in one of the world's most bio-diverse regions.

For Assignment, Rob Walker heads into the rainforest to see whether the tough new measures the Peruvian government has introduced to control the miners are working.

Assignment producer: Alicia Trujillo

(Image: A nugget of gold)

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25 minutes

Last on

Sat 14 Jul 2012 21:05GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 12 Jul 2012 08:05GMT
  • Thu 12 Jul 2012 12:05GMT
  • Thu 12 Jul 2012 15:05GMT
  • Thu 12 Jul 2012 19:05GMT
  • Fri 13 Jul 2012 01:05GMT
  • Sat 14 Jul 2012 03:05GMT
  • Sat 14 Jul 2012 21:05GMT

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