Global health impact of atmospheric mercury emissions from artisanal and small-scale gold mining
Qiaotong Pang, Jing Gu, Haikun Wang, Yanxu Zhang
Abstract
points of intelligence quotient decrements and 1,430 deaths for global general populations per year. The monetized global health impact of ASGM ($154 billion) is 1.5 times its local impact and accounts for half of the total revenue of ASGM ($319 billion). A major spatial decoupling between the health impact and economic gains is also revealed, suggesting that intervention measures such as awareness-raising, capacity-building, and technology transfer funded by the Global North are cost-effective.
Topics & Concepts
Mercury (programming language)Gold miningEnvironmental scienceEnvironmental chemistryScale (ratio)Atmospheric chemistryChemistryMeteorologyComputer scienceGeographyOzoneCartographyProgramming languagePhysical chemistryMercury impact and mitigation studiesMining and Resource ManagementHeavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity