To put the figures into context, China has a population of over 1.3 billion, and they currently consume an estimated 200 tons of mercury annually for gold mining. This type of mining is said to be illegal but ever-enticing to low-income people in the countryside and, in response to the high value of gold. (Natural Resources Defense Council – 2007).
China is the world’s No. 1 gold producer and it saw its output rise again in 2012. The country produced a record 360.96 tons of the yellow metal in 2011, a 5.9% increase, making it the world’s top gold producer for a fifth consecutive year, according to the China Gold Association. China’s gold production continues to grow. In Jan to May 2012, China’s reported gold production reached 115.6 tons for the 5-month period.
Further, estimates have suggested that China’s total gold imports for 2011 will have been some 490 tons – double that of 2010, but this may well be an under-estimate, possibly a substantial one.
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/01/03/ggmc-should-not-remain-a-liability-to-guyanas-tax-payers/
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