Mexico has been making significant efforts to stop the industrial use of mercury in line with its obligations under the Minamata Convention. CYDSA, a Mexican chemical conglomerate, replaced the chlorine and caustic soda plant in Monterrey with a state-of-art mercury-free plant from 2013 to 2016. To convert the last remaining mercury-cell plant in Coatzacoalcos, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved a 12 million dollar project.

COOGAVEPE technology center in Peixoto de Azevedo, Brazil, October 2023.

As the sun rises across Mexico’s Sierra Gorda nature reserve, a golden light illuminates its nearly 400,000 hectares of mountains, gorges and valleys. Set amid this vast wilderness is the Bucareli mercury mine. Just after dawn, a metal door to the mine opens. The morning’s silence is broken by the dull sound of a generator and workers traipsing to their posts. Among them is Jose Vigil, one of 800 people in the region who mine mercury, a highly toxic substance. But for Vigil and the other miners, the clock is ticking.

Artisanal mining is a common activity in various regions of Brazil, but despite its economic benefits it also faces significant challenges that expose workers to multiple risks, including the use of mercury in mineral extraction. These challenges are especially pronounced for Brazilian women, who often face gender discrimination, poor working conditions, and health risks.