Operation mercury: Impacts of national‐level armed forces intervention and anticorruption strategy on artisanal gold mining and water quality in the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract Artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM), a wealth‐generating industry in many regions, is nonetheless global challenge for governance threat to biodiversity, public health, ecosystem integrity. In 2019, the Peruvian government mobilized targeted, large‐scale armed intervention against illegal ASGM, which has caused deforestation water resource degradation this Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot. Before intervention, extent of waterbodies created by (mining ponds) was increasing 33%–90%/year; after, they decreased 4%–5%/year targeted zones. Mining activity indicators showed 70%–90% abandonment. New accelerated nearby areas outside area (pond increases: 42%–83%; increases +3–5 km 2 /year). Far from zones, remained stable during study period. Our analysis demonstrates that can have positive effects on conservation stopping shifting it permitted areas, thereby setting stage governance. Continued efforts must further address impacts informal while (1) limiting environmental legal mining; (2) remediating former reduce erosion enable reforestation or alternative uses landscape; (3) sustaining such efforts, as some miners began return when enforcement relaxed 2022.