Severe mercury contamination in Amazon prompts state of emergency, Peru

Severe mercury contamination in Amazon prompts state of emergency, Peru

The Peruvian government has declared a 60-day state of emergency for 11 towns in Madre de Dios, a region in southeastern Peru’s Amazon Basin, after officials found alarmingly high levels of mercury. This highly toxic metal comes from illegal gold mines and…

Mercury from gold mines accumulates hundreds of miles downstream

Mercury from gold mines accumulates hundreds of miles downstream

Duke University researchers have found hazardous levels of mercury hundreds of miles downstream from Peruvian gold mines. Researchers have determined that the health risks taken on by artisanal, small-scale gold miners extend far beyond the miners themselves. Based…