Faced with environmental issues and the activity of mining, it is important to analyze the relationship between social and environmental and health issues and mining activities and their direct relations with development, especially the economic one. The present work aimed to evaluate the socio-environmental and health changes resulting from the implementation of large mining projects in Barcarena-PA, contextualizing the development and its contradictions in the Brazilian Amazon. For this purpose, bibliographic research was used, about the literature published in books, scientific and documentary articles, related to the theme under study. It was found that Brazil represents one of the greatest potentials of mineral resources on the planet, with approximately 55 types of minerals that can be used for economic exploration purposes. On the other hand, in addition to contributing to the strengthening of the regional and national economy and to the generation of jobs and the increase in the income of the local population, as is the case of the municipality of Barcarena-PA, this region has suffered consecutive socio-environmental and health impacts, due to the mining activities developed in the region. The surroundings of large mining projects are inhabited by families who, since their implementation have their way of life, their economy, their health and their sociocultural organization impacted, resulting from this activity and the successive environmental impacts that occur on the site. Given all that has been analyzed, it is possible to conclude that, because it is an accelerated economic development model, and often not properly planned, not taking into account the peculiarities of the Brazilian Amazon, it ends up generating numerous environmental, social impacts that even directly reflect serious health problems of the local population. Thus, it is essential to urgently rethink this form of implementation of mineral exploration projects in the Amazon region, as is the case in the city of Barcarena, because major socio-environmental disasters can still occur.