The Hidden Cost of Gold: Miners, Mercury and a Path to Sustainability
Olga González, a gemologist and communications strategist, examines the urgent global challenge of mercury pollution in artisanal gold mining.
Gold has captivated humanity for millennia, symbolizing wealth, love and power. Yet, behind its shimmer lies a dark environmental legacy.
Across more than 70 countries, over 10 to 15 million artisanal and small-scale miners, including an estimated 4 to 5 million women and children, rely on mercury to extract gold from ore, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
This method, known as amalgamation, involves mixing mercury with crushed ore to form an alloy that’s later heated, releasing mercury vapor and leaving behind gold.
The process is simple and effective, but the consequences are devastating.
Autor's summary: Mercury pollution threatens gold miners.
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