Twenty-four photosgraphs of gold mining along the Rio Los Amigos. Environmentally hazardous, gold prospecting along Peru's tropical rivers involves dredging and sifting tons of coarse gravel, then capturing tiny gold flecks in a barrel to which mercury is added as an amalgam. The mercury is then burned-off in to the atmosphere, leaving a few grams of gold for a crew of three, working 24 hours a day, to share for a week's work. Click on thumbnails for larger views.
Created by Steven Foster Group—Specializing in Photos of Herbs, Spices, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants