Although articles about the now-shuttered Jerritt Canyon mine have said it was the worst mercury polluter in the United States, a more recent article says that 6 other Nevada gold mines pump out more mercury into the air, with Barrick Goldstrick mine (a huge series of pits) alone putting out 30 times as much as Jerritt Canyon.
Ninth Largest Source of Toxic Mercury Shuttered. What About Polluters 1 Through 8? By Dan Shapley. The Daily Green.
Photo1. Part of the Barrick Goldstrike mine north of Carlin, Nevada.
Photo2. More of the Barrick Goldstrike mine.
A lot of these Nevada mines let ranchers graze the nearby rangeland for free (after all they are going to become pits and they want to have good relations). Do you think these mercury cows are being tested before they enter the beef food supply?
Web page on mercury poisoning. Residents of Idaho, Utah and Nevada should read this, especially if they have children.
The Wildlife News 