SINGAPORE — Fear sparked by global recession, strains on banks and volatile paper currencies has brought the glitter back to gold. Its value has been rising rapidly in recent months, as investors seek a safe haven from the economic and financial storm.
But gold's resurgence has strengthened demand for its ugly longtime associate, mercury, a toxic heavy metal widely used in Asia, Africa and Latin America by millions of small-scale gold miners.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that about 6,000 tons of mercury are released each year into the air, land, rivers, lakes and seas, creating a global pollution problem. The liquid metal damages the human nervous system and impairs the functioning of the liver and thyroid glands. It also causes memory loss and disturbed vision.