The Tech Supply Chain in the Amazon

When denouncing the expansion of illegal mining on the Yanomami Indigenous land in the Brazilian Amazon, shaman Davi Kopenawa warned about the final destination of gold extracted from his territory: “the heart of machines.”

Gold is a critical component for the technology industry. Investigations have already revealed how illegal mining fuels Big Tech. However, the growth of this cutting-edge sector also demands other minerals, such as tantalum, copper, and tin.

Although less discussed, these substances are considered strategic for the energy transition due to their extensive use in the production of batteries and superconductors.

It is no coincidence that the federal government has been designing policies and injecting resources to boost the mining sector and technology infrastructure in the Amazon, including the expansion of fiber optic networks. However, this drive for exploration puts Brazil's commitments to climate justice in question.

In this project, journalist Isabel Harari seeks to explore the socio-environmental impacts and drivers behind the extraction of critical minerals and the development of infrastructure projects in the Amazon.

Caption: Three men examine the effects of gold mining in Guyana, which contains part of the Amazon rainforest. Image by Kakteen/Shutterstock.