Artworks

Photos from River of Gold by award-winning photo journalist, Ron Haviv

A gold miner stands in a barrel filled with mercury in order to separate the gold from the excavation matter, in the mining area of Lamal, Madre de Dios region, Peru. The miners mix the excavation matter with mercury to form an amalgam, which they commonly tramp on with bare feet in a barrel. The amalgam is then heated to vaporize the mercury, leaving behind a nugget of gold.

© Ron Haviv

Courtesy the artist and Westwood Gallery NYC