Main content

Indonesia's Mercury Menace

How mercury poisoning is threatening the health of Indonesian gold-miners and their environment.

Up to 20% of the world’s gold is produced by informal mining, with millions of people in the developing world relying on it for a living. But the quickest and easiest way to produce gold is by mixing finely ground rock with mercury and burning it off.

Linda Pressly has visited Indonesia, where gold workers and communities are showing signs of mercury poisoning, and where the paddy fields of Lombok have recorded the highest concentration of mercury ever found in rice.

(Image: Toxic mercury being used by small-scale gold miners, Indonesia. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Copyright)

Available now

29 minutes

Last on

Sat 21 Sep 2013 18:06GMT

Miners use mechanical sluices to trap the mud that is rich in gold

Miners use mechanical sluices to trap the mud that is rich in gold
They mix this with mercury in buckets using their bare hands. Mercury is a persistent pollutant - it does not break down in the environment.

Toxic Fumes

Toxic Fumes

Mercury use in small-scale gold mining in Indonesia is illegal, but miners still use it to extract gold from the rock or soil.

The fumes are highly toxic and is slowly poisoning miners who use it in the field.

Broadcasts

  • Thu 19 Sep 2013 08:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Sep 2013 14:32GMT
  • Thu 19 Sep 2013 19:06GMT
  • Thu 19 Sep 2013 23:32GMT
  • Fri 20 Sep 2013 03:32GMT
  • Sat 21 Sep 2013 18:06GMT

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes