Rivers and Coasts Contamination Hotspots

Heavy metals, such as cadmium, beryllium, uranium, mercury (Hg), arsenic and lead have no beneficial role in body functioning and are very harmful even in low concentrations due to their toxicity . These metals are highly persistent and non-degradable in the environment . Mercury is a highly toxic and mobile heavy metal having a high tendency of  bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the ecosystem.

Contamination Freshwater Resources

The developing countries persist in artisanal mining , even if illegal , but enforcement of environmental laws is almost non-existent. Pakistan is a potential hotspot of Hg contamination with a maximum of 36,900 kg year−1 into the environment, originating mainly from anthropogenic processes such as coal production , chlor-alkali plant light product manufacturing units, cement industries, dental clinic wastes, incinerators and other coal-based primary and secondary unit operations . In the northern mountainous areas, amalgamation and smelting in gold panning activities is taking place along the Gilgit, Hunza and Indus rivers causing widespread Hg contamination of freshwater resources in these and other low-lying regions of Pakistan . Artisanal gold mining uses liquid mercury to form an amalgam with gold containing ore and subsequent heating evaporates the mercury, leaving behind the gold contained within the ore . The burning of mercury transforms it into an odourless gas which is inhaled . Around 97 % of Pakistan’s coal resources are considered lignite being which is high in Hg posing severe environmental risks and poisoning of the water table . Reportedly there is 8–14 fold higher Hg concentration in coal samples from the Thar coalfield with a mean concentration ranging from 1.120 mg kg−1 compared to global mean concentration of 0.10 mg kg−1 .

Credit;Salud con lupa

Unborn Infants

Inhaling mercury vapour is extremely dangerous, and those that manipulate the mercury directly in the process of gold extraction especially by burning mercury, are therefore most at risk. Through the use of contaminated soil and water for livestock and crops, mercury can also enter the food chain. Communities near artisanal mining locations gradually accumulate mercury in their bodies, which is especially dangerous for pregnant women, children and the elderly. Mercury is a neurotoxin and unborn infants are the most vulnerable on growing brains and nervous systems . Extended exposure to mercury can damage kidneys, impair hearing, vision and balance.

Minamata Convention & Ship Recycling

The Gadani ship-breaking yard is another possible source of Hg contamination in Pakistan emitting an estimated 1.4 tons of into the Balochistan coastal area . In order to recover 1 kg of gold nearly 1.32 kg of Hg is lost to the environment in the amalgam-roasting processes and 65 kg year−1 of Hg is used in the dental sector in Pakistan . To control Hg contamination and its adverse impacts, the Minamata Convention entered into force in 2017, signed by 140 countries with Pakistan being a signatory , not having ratified the convention . There must be some reason why , on its territories, the West does not permit or actively discourages coal extraction and generation of coal based electricity , ship recycling , chlor – alkali producing plants , cement industry consuming coal and artisanal gold mining through mercury process . In the name of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Pakistan seems to have become a contamination hotspot .
Huge machine supported artisanal Placer Gold mining is taking place along the Indus River , from Gilgit Baltistan to Attock, Punjab . Where is the mercury being procured or obtained from in such huge quantities . Western markets do not purchase Placer Gold as traces of mercury are detected , being embedded in the gold concentrate. There is no clarity as to where and to whom the Placer Gold is being sold and remains an undocumented , untaxed or shadowy business . The bullion market should have crashed if one believes the amounts of Placer Gold said to be mined daily .

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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749122002093

https://www.epa.gov/mercury/health-effects-exposures-mercury#:~:text=High%20exposure%20to%20inorganic%20mercury,nervous%20system%2C%20and%20the%20kidneys.

https://www.un-ihe.org/dark-side-gold-dangerous-effects-mercury-used-artisanal-gold-mining

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9713274/