History: Serra Pelada Gold Mine, Pará, Brazil

Military conflict
Early in the history of the mine, the Brazilian military took over operations to prevent exploitation of the workers and conflict between miners and owners. Before the military takeover basic goods were sold for hugely inflated prices by the mine owners; water cost $3 a litre ($ 8.36 in 2013). The infamous Sebastiao Rodrigues de Moura (known more by his nickname Coronel Curio) managed the mine for a brief period.
While the military government banned women and alcohol at the actual mine, the nearby town became a town of "stores and whores". Thousands of underage girls prostituted themselves for gold flakes while around 60-80 unsolved murders occurred in the town every month.