Exploração aurífera no município de Peixoto de Azevedo, Mato Grosso, Brasil: uma análise histórica, socioeconómica e ambiental

The municipality of Peixoto de Azevedo, Mato Grosso, Brazil, was emancipated in 1986, despite the intensive gold exploration that occurred in the municipality between the 1970s and 1990s after the opening of the BR-163 (Cuiaba-Santarem) highway. The practice of the garimpeiro activity led to the removal of the riparian forest and the Kreen-Akarores indigenous people from the banks of the Peixoto de Azevedo river to enable the region occupation. This work is aimed at investigating the beginning and development of the garimpeiro activity in the municipality of Peixoto de Azevedo, analyzing the socioeconomic and environmental processes. In order to obtain the described results, interviews to current and former residents of the municipality were carried out and satellite images of the active garimpo areas in the urban perimeter of the municipality were also analyzed. During the research, it was possible to obtain a broad view of the resident opinions regarding the municipality environmental and socioeconomic characteristics.