Oro de Paso Yobái
A district in Guairá with gold mining since the mid-1990s, which today mixes prosperity with environmental debates.
What it is
Paso Yobái was known as the “cradle of yerba mate”. Around the mid-1990s, according to Wikipedia, an Ecuadorian tourist found a nugget by chance and began searching for more on the banks of the Itá stream, in the Torres Cué community. Since then gold has been mined in the district, including artisanal and small-scale mining, which according to the same source involves about 7,000 people.
The activity has sparked debate over the use of mercury and cyanide. MADES, through the planetGOLD project, is carrying out a survey and working to reduce mercury use. The patron saint festival on 15 August includes the “Fiesta del Itayú” (gold, in Guaraní), where nuggets are raffled.
How to visit
It is not a tourist site: mining takes place on private land with safety and environmental risks. If you are passing through town, the best time is the patron saint festival on 15 August.
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Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 3 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.