Shefa Siegel directs the U.S. State Department’s technical assistance program with small-scale miners in the Andes. From 2005-2007 he was External Relations Advisor for the United Nations Global Mercury Project. He works at the intersections of environmental politics, economic development, and global health, and teaches ecological thought at Royal Roads University on Vancouver Island. He is a fellow in the politics of mining at the University of British Columbia.

Threat of Mercury Poisoning Rises With Gold Mining Boom

by shefa siegel
With high gold prices fueling a global gold rush, millions of people in the developing world are turning to small-scale gold mining. In many countries, including Colombia, miners are putting themselves and those who live nearby at risk by using highly toxic mercury in the refining process.
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