New mercury treaty leaves artisanal gold miners in limbo

“We want to find a way in which mercury can be taken out of the small-scale gold mining sector. Unbeknown to many of the people who are engaged in this gold mining, it is a very harmful compound, ” he added.
According to the UN report on artisanal gold mining, this activity is the largest source of global mercury pollution. It is also the only source of income for as many as 15 million people in 70 countries, mostly poor ones.
http://www.coaloremining.com/coal-mine/new-mercury-treaty-leaves-artisanal-gold-miners-in-limbo.html