Severe water pollution has led to metal mining being outlawed in the central American country but small-scale gold miners are defiant
Rudi Francisco Soza bends over a gallon jug serving as a bucket, lethargically stirring dirty brown water containing ores mixed with mercury. He eyes the mixture and says resignedly: “There’s nothing in here.” Soza had tested an ore sample from a pile of rocks he and a few co-workers had spent the morning collecting from a suffocatingly hot mine in the town of San Sebastián. For the 52-year-old miner this is routine. He rejoins the group of young and middle-aged Salvadorans taking a demolish in the shadow of the cashew trees from which they pick up some snacks.Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com