Mercury was used to process gold in more than 90% of mining sites, both inside and near the reserve, which is a more than three times the rate in provinces like North and South Kivu, according to the report. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin, with no safe level of exposure, yet was frequently used very near the rivers and homes, often without protective equipment and sometimes by children, the report found. Once it gets into water sources or soils, mercury rapidly bio-accumulates up the food chain, putting miners, the wider population and wildlife, at risk.
read more... https://news.mongabay.com/2024/11/illegal-gold-mining-drives-deforestation-in-drc-reserve-home-to-african-unicorn/
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