According to reports, panners occasionally swallow gold nuggets laced with mercury to evade the police. Most panners prefer handling mercury without protective clothing for fear of losing gold particles. Mercury poisoning occurs through inhalation or coming into contact with vapour and ingestion, which can lead to headaches, decreased cognitive function, loss of coordination, visual impairment and reduced ability to think, among other symptoms. High exposure to mercury can lead to respiratory complications, kidney malfunction and death.
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