The Dirty Side to Indonesia’s Booming Gold Rush

Sadly, most of these children, along with millions of adults, will be exposed to toxic mercury poisoning. National Geographic, in conjunction with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, recently exposed the depth of the mercury crisis in Indonesia. High levels of mercury exposure can cause “birth defects, including crippling deformities and nervous system disorders,” like large skulls, deformed fingers and missing limbs, says National Geographic. Small-scale gold mining researcher and the 2009 winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize, Yuyun Ismawati, tells the magazine that Indonesia’s 850 mining hot spots are responsible for an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 cases of mercury poisoning and 10,000 and 20,000 cases of birth defects — meaning that developing fetuses are tragically poisoned in the womb.
http://www.care2.com/causes/the-dirty-side-to-indonesias-booming-gold-rush.html