Gold mining explodes in Suriname, puts forests and people at risk

Mercury is the key component by small-scale mining operations to separate gold from soil. Designated by the World Health Organization as among the top 10 chemicals of major public health concern globally, exposure to mercury can result in severe neurological damage. Across Suriname, standards for mercury dumping are generally lax, with mercury-tainted mud from ore-separating sluice boxes often allowed to freely run into nearby creeks and subsequently downstream to larger waterways. Once it settles out of the water it is far from gone; mercury is a persistent substance, lingering in soil for thousands of years.
http://news.mongabay.com/2015/10/gold-mining-explodes-in-suriname-puts-forests-and-people-at-risk/