Mercury is a naturally occurring element in some gold ore, which is primarily released into the air during the ore-heating stage of gold extraction.
Airborne mercury can travel great distances, ultimately settling in lakes and rivers. There, bacteria transform the mercury into methylmercury, which is toxic to humans. The mercury then accumulates in fish.
Predatory fish such as tuna and bass can have dangerous levels of mercury in their flesh, which upon ingestion will build up in humans as well. In 2008, 41 states had advised limiting fish consumption, issuing a total of 3,361 advisories due to mercury contamination. The advisories included over 16 million lakes and over 1.2 million river miles.
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