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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Megan Janetsky and Teresa de Miguel

The ‘mercury boom’ sparking toxic gold mining and putting lives in danger

Mercury Mexico Mining Gold Environment United Nations
Hugo Flores analyses a rock recently extracted from the mine in San Joaquin, Mexico - (Associated Press/Fernando Llano)

A drill echoes through narrow tunnels deep within the mountain where miner Hugo Flores bores into rock in search of one of Earth’s most toxic elements.

Buried in red stripes of minerals illuminated by his headlamp is mercury.

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