Quicksilver for Quick Gold

When we think of gold mining, we probably envision a pickax striking a glittering vein in ore or gold flakes glinting through river sediment. We’re unlikely to have even heard about the 15 million men, women, and children poisoning themselves to produce 30 percent of the world’s mined gold. Although the mercury, or quicksilver, used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) causes neurological damage and widespread pollution, miners in developing countries continue to use it—and Kristin Sippl (GRS’16) is finding out why and researching how to give these miners the information necessary to decide on a less dangerous method.
http://www.bu.edu/today/2014/quicksilver-for-quick-gold/