From the depths of the Amazon, rare earths and critical minerals like coltan, tin, and tungsten flow into global markets. Their illegal extraction is controlled by armed groups aligned with state actors and corrupt business networks. These groups use violence against local communities and devastate the rainforest. Meanwhile, the geopolitical struggle over these resources is intensifying, with the United States and China as the main players. In this documentary, we investigate how this unfolds.
For months, Amazon Underworld tracked the presence of critical minerals in the border states between Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, investigating the economic, social, and human consequences of their extraction.
The recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela to remove Nicolás Maduro from power revealed interests beyond oil. Access to critical minerals is high on the agenda, as is the ambition to challenge China’s dominance in this area.
We travelled to border areas, spoke to sources who have worked in the mines and had experienced the devastation and violence first-hand, toured areas where illegal economies operate, and investigated the demand for critical minerals amid the global geopolitical landscape. All of this forms part of the documentary “How Critical Minerals are Fueling Conflict in the Amazon“, the first of two documentaries on this topic (the second part will be available soon).
We also invite you to check out the special series “The Price of Progress: The Dark Side of Critical Minerals in the Amazon.”
