Illegal gold mining is rife across Indonesia.
The big problem with these small-scale operations is mercury – the toxic heavy metal used in the extraction process that once used runs into nearby rivers and waterways.
From Lombok Nicole Curby looks at how often mercury is used, and the impacts it has on local communities.
Lombok’s spectacular volcanic hills are lined with picturesque beaches, coconut palms, and bright green rice paddy fields.
But the lush landscape is often interrupted by scabs in the earth, brown spaces razed of vegetation in the search for gold.
In clouds of dust, miners gamble with their lives in the hope of striking gold.
Working with limited resources, they organise in small groups and often opt for the cheapest and fastest method.
So miners often set up their operations in front of their homes, literally on their doorstep.
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