To live and die for gold: Metals mining returns to El Salvador
A new law ushers in the return of an industry that’s been prohibited since 2017, threatens to send workers back to the absolute control of foreign companies — and, environmentalists warn, comes at a high ecological cost
Standing atop a hill, two men look closely at the white stones resting in their hands. They tilt them slightly, allowing the sunlight to glint off of the small golden sparkles that flicker on their surface. “No,” says Melvin, the youngest of the pair, regarding the rocks with disdain. “This isn’t real gold, it’s fool’s gold.” “Yes,” confirms Antonio, with the certainty of one who has spent a lifetime in the mountains. “It’s margaja. But that means there’s gold nearby.”
