Mercury, as is well known, is a chemical that can be harmful to wildlife and humans, especially because of its bioaccumulative properties. Since it becomes more concentrated the higher up the food chain it travels, it’s a widespread threat to larger animals like fish and humans when ingested. Through a process called amalgamation, which is used to separate gold from sediment and ore, mercury is combined with fine particles of gold to produce an alloy of both metals. Once combined, the mercury is then dissolved, leaving behind isolated gold.
http://www.greenerideal.com/science/0702-obsession-gold-environment/
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