Who Did This To Peru's Jungle?

He found that on average, the residents of Manauni had mercury levels in their blood six times above what's recommended by the World Health Organization. "Some people had as high as 14 times the maximum limit," Fernandez says.

Mercury is particularly dangerous for children and pregnant women. It's a neurotoxin that can cause stunting and developmental delays.

Federal officials in Lima have attempted to rein in the illegal mining. They've tried to block fuel shipments into the mining zones in an attempt to cut off power to the miners' pumps and generators. They've sent in the Peruvian military to blow up mining rigs. But the efforts have had little effect. By some estimates there are now tens of thousands of illegal miners working the eastern Peruvian province of Madre de Dios. Even officials in the environmental ministry say the illicit gold mining continues to expand.

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/05/17/398765777/who-did-this-to-perus-jungle