Gold mining critically impairs water quality in rivers across Peruvian biodiversity hotspot

(Dartmouth College) A Dartmouth study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that artisanal-scale gold mining is altering water clarity and dynamics in the Madre de Dios River watershed in Peru, a tropical biodiversity hotspot. Higher levels of suspended sediment were found in rivers near the mining sites. The elevated sediment levels contain mercury and other contaminants, which can pose human health risks and have a detrimental impact on fish and other aquatic l...