Use of mercury in gold mining stirs controversy in Brazil

According to Nava, the new regulations include steps to mitigate the impact of mercury use. For example, simple equipment, such as crucibles or retorts, must be used to reduce the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere. The regulations also require all miners to take a course on good environmental practices.

But Brazilian scientists say that allowing mercury to be continue to be used in mining and released into the environment is a "huge step backwards", according to Olaf Malm, who is researching mercury pollution at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

Malm told SciDev.Net that it goes against the prevalent world view on proper mercury disposal, namely, to avoid any release into the environment. 

Many scientists favour alternatives such as the use of cyanide, which they say is less harmful.
http://www.scidev.net/en/agriculture-and-environment/land-water-pollution/news/use-of-mercury-in-gold-mining-stirs-controversy-in-brazil.html