Regarding using mercury free technology, many of the alternative mercury free methods are really only economically
viable in a formalised setting. Otherwise it is sort of a grab and run (or be prepared to run) to avoid getting busted situation. In that context, if health and environment implications are not important or obvious to miners, mercury makes sense. Many can have knowledge
of Hg-free methods but little opportunity to apply them. This is understood but not said often enough. Rather, often the “ignorance” factor is played up as more important but governance plays at least an equal role.
