This method was used for centuries to recover gold and silver. Today,
large-scale industrial mines use other methods that are more efficient
and do not release persistent, toxic, and bio-accumulative mercury into
the environment. However, mercury is still widely used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining
(ASGM). In fact, mercury use in this sector is probably increasing, and
is now believed to be the largest source of mercury pollution in the
world. The recent spike in gold prices is often cited as a cause of
increased ASGM and associated mercury use.
http://geovisualist.com/2014/03/10/is-artisanal-gold-mining-driving-the-price-of-mercury/
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