Villa Brazil

Gold was discovered in the Rosebel area in 1879. More than century after, in 2004, a commercial exploitation started at the Rosebel Gold Mines.[2] Illegal gold miners started to exploit the Matawai area near Nieuw Jacobkondre.[1] Villa Brazil was founded illegally by Brazilian gold miners, and contains dwellings for the gold miners and several commercial shops.[3]

The village has become known as an area with a high rate of crime.[4][3][1] Complaints of the nearby villagers who had rely on a police station in Kwakoegron have resulted the establishment of a police station in Nieuw Jacobkondre in 2014.[1] Concerning morbidity, malaria is prevalent in the village.[5] In late 2020, Villa Brazil was at the centre of a COVID-19 outbreak.[6]

The gold mining is performed by building of sluice boxes. Mercury is poured over the dirt with bare hands.[7] The method leaves much gold undetected, and therefore some miners are using metal detectors.[8] The mercury pollution in the area is both an environment problem, and a health hazard.[9] Most of the gold gets transported to the North of Paramaribo where the gold buyers are located.[9] In 2021, a badge system was introduced, which requires gold miners to be registered, and gold buyers to track the source of the gold.[10]

• Antonio do Brinco
• Benzdorp

• Versol, Winnie (2007). Artisanal gold mining in Suriname (PDF) (Thesis). Eindhoven University of Technology.