Today I learnt about Indonesia's new and illegal gold mines. If BBC is to be believed, it all began with one mans' bizarre dream. In Buru, a small island in Indonesia, locals are flocking to a nearby mountain where people have found gold. The place is now overrun by outsiders and people from other countries who use special equipment to mine out the gold from the mountain, but using mercury. About 15% of the world's gold is produced by artisanal and small-scale miners, many of whom use mercury to extract it from the earth. In Indonesia, some three million people make their living from the precious metal and the income provides a financial lifeline to some communities.
The story of how gold came to be on earth is also interesting. Gold is extra-terrestial, and are the results for supernova star explosions.
No comments:
Post a Comment