Every year up to 15 million artisanal and small-scale gold miners are exposed to toxic mercury fumes. Around one third of these miners are women and children.
Exposure to mercury by inhalation damages the nervous, digestive, and immune systems. It can also contaminate bodies of water where it can be transformed into methyl-mercury and subsequently accumulate in fish and shellfish. When ingested, methyl-mercury can cause serious damage to the nervous system.
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