Colombia’s Environment and Native People, Victims of Illegal Gold Mining

 Criminal groups, as well as small-scale illegal miners, use mercury, a highly toxic substance, during the extraction process, allowing it to be released into the environment, Colombia’s water sources, and enter the food chain. The indigenous communities as well as other animals around these water sources that rely on fish as a primary source of protein expose themselves to mercury poisoning, which has been linked to irreversible health issues such as neurological and reproductive problems.

read more... https://dialogo-americas.com/articles/colombias-environment-and-native-people-victims-of-illegal-gold-mining/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=colombias-environment-and-native-people-victims-of-illegal-gold-mining#.Y5M0dXbMKUk