Illegal gold mining has supplanted cocaine trafficking as Latin America’s criminal endeavor of choice

Globally, artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the largest source of anthropogenic mercury pollution in waterways—at least 1,000 metric tons per year, according to UN estimates (pdf). Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is believed to release about 800 metric tons of mercury into waterways and land per year; in Madre de Dios alone an estimated 30 to 40 metric tons of mercury are dumped into the environment annually. This practice poisons fish and can cause permanent health problems to humans living as far as 400 km downstream. Those areas, robbed of all topsoil and loaded with mercury, could take decades to recover, experts say.
http://qz.com/867104/illegal-gold-mining-has-supplanted-cocaine-trafficking-as-latin-americas-criminal-endeavor-of-choice/