The Human Cost of Gold | National Geographic Magazine: Untouchables Pan for Gold in Dusty Streets | Chennai, India

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Untouchables Pan for Gold in Dusty Streets | Chennai, India

Young untouchables sleep in the street of Chennai before panning for gold in the dust outside the goldsmiths’ shops. Children are involved in all aspects of gold mining around the world. In small-scale mines, searching for gold is a family affair. Of the world’s 12 to 15 million artisanal gold miners, an estimated 30 percent are women and children.