While deforestation is a by-product of gold mining that can be seen, especially in Madre de Dios, where it is widespread, the invisible price of this activity comes in the form of toxic mercury, which is widely used in informal, small-scale artisanal gold mining.
Mercury poisons the miners, their families, and communities. But it also travels, spilling into oceans and rivers worldwide, eventually contaminating the seafood we all eat.
“If mercury was like raw onions, they would be wearing protective gear.”
“The shocking thing is that they use mercury indiscriminately because they cannot smell it or taste it or feel it while they are using it. So they believe it is innocuous,” says Dr. Caravanos. “If mercury was like raw onions, they would be wearing protective gear.”
“We saw barefoot miners, and others using bare hands to handle mercury.”
In Peru, there is some growing awareness of the dangers of mercury and mining. But there is still a long way to go.
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