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  • © 1998

Mercury from Gold and Silver Mining

A Chemical Time Bomb?

  • Competent overview of a current topic
  • Numerous figures and diagrams

Part of the book series: Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE)

Part of the book sub series: Environmental Science (ENVSCIENCE)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages I-X
  2. The Use of Mercury Amalgamation in Gold and Silver Mining

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 1-13
  3. Estimating Losses of Mercury to the Environment

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 15-27
  4. Mercury in the Atmosphere

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 29-46
  5. Mercury in Tropical Aquatic and Terrestrial Systems

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 47-77
  6. Mercury in Biota

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 79-95
  7. Mercury Contamination of Humans in Gold and Silver Mining Areas

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 97-109
  8. Summary and Outlook

    • Luiz D. de Lacerda, Wim Salomons
    Pages 121-124
  9. Back Matter

    Pages 125-147

About this book

Due to its inherent characteristics, mercury contamination from gold mining is a major environmental problem compared to past mercury contamination from industrial point sources. The worsening of social-economical conditions and increasing gold prices in the late 1970s resulted in a new rush for gold by individual entrepreneurs for whom Hg amalgamation is a cheap and easily carried out operation. Even after the present-day mining areas are exhausted, the mercury left behind will remain part of the biochemical cycle of the tropical forest. This book reviews the current information on mercury from gold mining, its cycling in the environment and its long-term ecotoxicological impact. The book is illustrated with numerous diagrams and photographs.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dept. Geoquimica Centro Niteroi, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Luiz D. Lacerda

  • GKSS Research Center, Geesthacht, Germany

    Wim Salomons

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Mercury from Gold and Silver Mining

  • Book Subtitle: A Chemical Time Bomb?

  • Authors: Luiz D. Lacerda, Wim Salomons

  • Series Title: Environmental Science and Engineering

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58793-1

  • Publisher: Springer Berlin, Heidelberg

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1998

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-540-61724-2Due: 11 December 1997

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-642-63734-6Published: 03 October 2013

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-642-58793-1Published: 06 December 2012

  • Series ISSN: 1863-5520

  • Series E-ISSN: 1863-5539

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 147

  • Number of Illustrations: 38 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Soil Science & Conservation, Ecotoxicology, Mineralogy, Mineral Resources

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access