Unregulated GB Gold Mining Threatens Dams, Infrastructure

Environmental watchdogs and regional authorities in Gilgit-Baltistan have raised urgent concerns over expanding placer gold mining operations along river systems. The unmonitored extraction of precious metals in riverbeds and streams is increasingly threatening ecological stability and critical infrastructure across the northern territory.

According to reports from Dawn Pakistan, official warnings highlight significant risks posed by these extraction activities to major structural assets, notably the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. Crucial transportation routes, bridges, and civilian communities established along vulnerable riverbanks also face elevated stability hazards due to continuous riverbed disturbance.

Environmental regulators have identified several major pollution factors tied to the mining operations, including the direct release of untreated wash water into public water streams. Further risks stem from heavy debris buildup and potential oil leaks originating from heavy mining machinery deployed along the waterways.

In response to mounting environmental hazards, regulatory authorities have begun enforcing stricter measures. The Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency recently intervened in Hunza, where officials shut down and sealed an active placer gold extraction site.

The surge in riverbed mining involves numerous domestic companies operating through joint ventures with both national and foreign commercial partners, reflecting a broader expansion of mineral extraction throughout Gilgit-Baltistan's fragile mountain ecosystems.