The Human Cost of Gold | National Geographic Magazine: Gold Miner Brushes Teeth in Pond Laced With Mercury | Indonesia

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Gold Miner Brushes Teeth in Pond Laced With Mercury | Indonesia

Miners test in the 1000-ppm plus range for mercury (normal is 170 to 300).  They earn about $5USD a day.  Eastern Java is severely overcrowded and the government. has an official transmigration program over to Kalimantan.  In Eastern Java they can earn about 100RP a day hoeing the fields. Here they can earn upwards of 30,000-60,000RP ($3-$6) a day. So it is worth it to them to camp in this area, having only the water from the amalgam ponds to bathe and drink.