Gold-mercury amalgam (IMAGE)
Caption
A miner’s hand holds a pebble-sized bit of mercury-covered gold ore over a bowl of water. The picture was taken at a small-scale gold mine in Senegal.
Gold from artisanal and small-scale mining accounts for nearly 20% of the gold bought and sold around the world. The mining also accounts for nearly 40% of global mercury emissions. Researchers at Michigan State University are collaborating with miners and their communities to reduce those emissions and curb their health impacts.
Credit
Courtesy Jacqueline Gerson
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