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The city of Itaituba, in the state of Pará, known as the gold capital, has become the epicenter of illegal mining in the Amazon. The precious metal is the basis of the local economy and is used by everyone from drug dealers who need to launder money to residents who need to pay for their groceries. This video reveals how dependent the city is on the gold trade, from miners to the shops that sell the machinery used in the mines. But recent actions by the federal government to curb illegal mining have created tension. Watch this portrait of the challenges and controversies surrounding new environmental policies that directly impact the residents of Itaituba. #goldmining #amazon #environment Mongabay is a nonprofit environmental science and conservation news platform that produces original reporting in English, Indonesian, Spanish, French, Hindi, and Brazilian Portuguese. Check out https://www.mongabay.com/. Watch more of our videos: /mongabaytv . Subscribe to the Mongabay newsletter: https://mongabay.us14.list-manage.com... Follow Mongabay on Facebook: /mongabay Follow Mongabay on Twitter: /mongabay Follow Mongabay on Instagram: /mongabay