Illegal Mining Severely Impacting Peruvian Environment

“The illegal miners have pushed deep into the Amazon jungle to pan in rivers and creeks, most notably in the wildlife-rich Madre de Dios region,” said Córdova. “It is estimated that 30 to 40 (metric) tons of mercury are dumped into the environment annually and burned off after amalgamation – generally without even using rudimentary technology to protect workers’ health or capture waste or fumes.”
Liquid mercury is most commonly used to extract gold particles but there is a lack of formality to the process illegal miners are using, which allows the toxic metal to contaminate local ecosystems.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kitconews/2014/07/04/illegal-mining-severely-impacting-peruvian-environment/