Children of the dirty gold

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.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=310654