Zimbabwe: Dying rivers dry up livelihoods

In an effort to concentrate their yield, the `makorokoza’ often mix the residual ore with mercury, a practice that Steady Kangata, the education and publicity manager for the Environmental Management Authority, said created a health hazard for people and animals downstream.
“Mercury has the tendency to accumulate in the bodies of animals and humans, and in the case of people, if it gathers to a certain level, it can cause hair loss and the breakdown of the nervous system,” he said.
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