Amazon gold mining and children’s health – level 1

Amazon gold mining and children’s health

04-11-2025 15:00

In the Amazon, some people dig for gold. This gold mining uses mercury, a dangerous chemical. This activity is against the rules.

Mercury gets into rivers and fish. People eat the fish. The mercury gets into women’s bodies. This can make babies sick. Some babies cannot move their heads or have muscle problems. Scientists are studying this. They check the mothers and babies for mercury. They hope to find out if gold mining makes babies sick.

Even if mining stops, mercury stays in the rivers for many years. The people in these communities are worried about their children and their food.

Difficult words: dig (to make a hole in the ground), mining (the activity of taking minerals, metals, or other materials from the earth), muscle (the part of the body which moves bones).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.

What health problems can babies suffer when mercury used in gold mining gets into their mothers’ bodies?

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