Claudia Vega

They are exposed to very high levels of mercury through consuming contaminated fish.

They have like one of the highest levels reported right now.

So one thing that we do with them, we explain to them that they have to choose safer fish.

Sometimes it's very difficult because you don't have the right answer for them.

I mean, they're in their home and then a strange people come telling them that what they are eating is poison.

But I think information is power and having the right information make you do the right decision.

So we insist in that, giving the information and repeat the information.

Some of the miners tell us, like, I have been doing this for 30 years, so I'm good.

I ask them, like, do you sleep?

Do you have headaches?

Do you forget things more often?

And also mercury sometimes can increase the chance to have cardiovascular disease.

So maybe some of the people have high pressure and they don't know why.

It could be because of mercury.

And some of them, they're changing for a more responsible way of mining.

Some other miners, maybe they know, but they don't care because they need money.

And gold is money.

There are no incentives to produce mercury-free gold.

People just buy gold.

They don't care.