Stunningly rare photos published by Nasa have revealed the extent of gold mining – many of which are considered illegal – in the Amazon rainforest.
The “rivers of gold” trapped in the images are actually pits believed to have been dug by unlicensed miners, the space agency said.
The pits, usually hidden, are illuminated by reflected sunlight.
An astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) took the unusual photos in December.
The images are further proof of the extent of destructive gold mining in the Madre de Dios region in southeastern Peru.
The country is a leading exporter of gold, and Madre de Dios is home to a huge unregulated industry with thousands of miners trying to earn their living.
The area is a hotspot for biodiversity and the extraction industry has led to extensive deforestation and destruction of vital habitats.
The exploitation also poisons local communities, as tons of mercury are used to reach the valued commodity and according to scientists, a significant amount is released into rivers or the atmosphere.
The pits where miners are looking for gold appear as hundreds of sinks filled with water, surrounded by mud where vegetation has been removed, Nasa explains.
Miners follow the routes of ancient rivers where deposits, including minerals, have been deposited.
In parts of the region, with species such as monkeys, jaguars and butterflies, scientists believe mining is the leading cause of deforestation.
In January 2019, a study found that deforestation of gold mining in 2018 destroyed approximately 22,930 hectares of the Amazon in Peru, according to the group Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Project.
People from local communities who are often deprived are hurt by the rising price of gold, and see the opportunity to make a living from mining. In 2012, there were an estimated 30,000 small-scale miners in the lush region.
In another part of Peru, La Pampa, a major gold rush that lasted almost a decade was finally stopped by the government in 2019 when about 5,000 miners were expelled.