Gold Mining Colombia
Gold mining is the second largest source of mercury pollution in the environment after burning fossil fuels. Third world gold miners are using mercury to extract gold from soil and subsoil. Adding mercury to the soil binds the gold in a silver pellet which will be processed later to purify the gold.
Not a New Problem
This is a centuries old practice. Romans used to force slaves and criminals to mine with mercury. The mercury method is fast and cheap, creating a cleaner gold product than panning. With gold at over $1000 an ounce, the poor and the greedy find it difficult to stop gold mining in this way.
Mercury is so toxic even when in contact with skin that many miners are dying early as a result of working conditions. Meanwhile, mercury is accumulating in the food chain, so that families and bystanders are being poisoned as they eat meals and go about their lives.
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