Gold Dust as Currency: Life and Peril in Venezuela's Mining Towns

El Dorado, Venezuela – In a striking display of economic adaptation, residents of El Dorado, a town nestled within Venezuela's resource-rich Orinoco Mining Arc, conduct daily transactions using gold dust. This practice underscores the region's profound reliance on its vast mineral reserves, which include not only gold but also diamonds, iron, bauxite, quartz, and coltan.The video captures the intricate and often perilous process of gold extraction. Earth extracted from mines is stored in sacks and then transported to mills, where it is further fragmented. The sand then passes over a mercury-coated bronze ramp with a constant water flow, trapping gold particles. These particles are later heated to remove impurities, a process that releases dangerous mercury fumes.Local residents, including Hilda Carrero, a merchant, confirm the necessity of gold for commerce. "If I don't have gold, I don't have life. What do I buy with?" she stated, emphasizing its role as the primary medium of exchange in the absence of traditional currency. Another resident highlighted that while mines are active, people come to buy, but production is essential.However, this economic lifeline comes at a severe cost. Environmentalists report an ecocide in the area due to mining practices. Furthermore, the region has been a site of significant violence, with illegal mines collapsing and criminal syndicates, known as 'sindicatos,' or even indigenous groups, extorting miners. Reports indicate that over 200 people were killed between 2016 and 2020 in massacres linked to mining conflicts. The arduous and dangerous nature of the work, coupled with the environmental and social challenges, paints a complex picture of survival in El Dorado.

deredes.tv

Un comerciante pesa en una balanza digital el oro en polvo con el que paga un c…

1750338062 Un comerciante pesa en una balanza digital el oro en polvo con el que paga un cliente. Es una transacción habitual en El Dorado, que como…