Silver Veins, Dusty Lungs: Mining, Water, and Public Health in Zacatecas, 1835–1946 by Rocio Gomez (review).

The first is the author's version of the processes of mining and refining silver with mercury and their environmental impact (ch. 1). The ecotoxicological consequences of mining and refining silver ores are well established, so a straightforward exposition of the chemical and physical facts makes a compelling case study that needs no embellishment. Water was indispensable for refining silver ores using mercury. [Extracted from the article]