We met Marcos Donor and his son Mark Antony at the mill as they were doing just this. But here we found them exposed to another danger. Marcos mixes the milled mud with mercury — a poisonous metal causing organ and brain damage especially in children.
Marcos told me he didn’t think there was any danger from the mercury, so like tens of thousands of small-scale miners here they are exposing themselves and their children unknowingly to this extra danger.
Once the mercury is burnt off — creating dangerous fumes — they have a spec of gold about half the size of a one-cent piece. Today Marcos sold that to the mill owner and local broker for about $12. Not enough to properly look after his family for the week ahead.
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/children-of-dirty-gold-in-the-philippines/story-fn948wjf-1227401036491
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