Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is now recognized as the leading source of mercury pollution, accounting for ~30% of the global emissions. Around the world, small-scale gold miners often work with few regulations or illegally to make a meager living. Miners mix and burn off toxic mercury during the gold mining process, as the element helps to extract gold from tiny bits of ore. Indonesia is one of the world’s top ten countries for gold mining production in the world, competing with nations such as the USA, China, Australia and Russia. Each year about 1,000 tons of mercury is released into Indonesia’s atmosphere due to artisanal gold mining.
http://www.pureearth.org/help-for-kids/
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