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A guard, a middlemen and two young workers are inspecting the gold retrieved on behalf of a gold trader, (in green) in an artisanal gold processing site near Bagega, pop. 9000, a large village affected by lead poisoning due to the unsafe techniques employed for extracting gold, in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The contamination is caused by ingestion and breathing of lead particles released in the steps to isolate the gold from other metals. This type of lead is soluble in stomach acid and children under-5 are most affected, as they tend to ingest more through their hands by touching the ground, and are developing symptoms often leading to death or serious disabilities.
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- Alex Masi - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Please Contact: alex@alexmasi.co.uk
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- Lead Poisoning and Artisanal Gold Mining in Zamfara