Tarnished Gold: Illegal Amazon gold seeps into supply chains

By DAVID BILLER and JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — A Sao Paulo-based company called Marsam is known for its commitment to the responsible sourcing of precious metals. But an investigation by the  Associated Press has found that it processes gold for — and shared ownership links to — an intermediary accused by prosecutors of buying gold mined illegally deep in the Amazon rainforest. Weak government oversight enabled by President Jair Bolsonaro has only exacerbated the problem of illegal gold mining in protected areas. Critics also fault an international certification program used by manufacturers to show they aren’t using minerals that come from conflict zones, saying it is an exercise in greenwashing.