Artisanal scale gold mining are intensive operations that leave a large environmental footprint. After land is cleared, sluices– which bring large amounts of water back into the cleared area, and/or settling ponds, are used to separate the sediment. Portions of the sediment are then often transferred into large containers of liquid mercury, which is used to help amalgamate the flakes of gold. The mercury in the amalgam is then burned off until only the pure gold is left behind. Through these processes, mercury enters the rivers and streams.
read more... https://scienmag.com/gold-mining-critically-impairs-water-quality-in-rivers-across-peruvian-biodiversity-hotspot/
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