Highest Permanent Settlement in the World
Located at 5,000 meters (3 miles) above sea level, La Rinconada in southeastern Peru is the highest permanent settlement in the world.
Gold Mining in the News
In South America mercury is used to collect the gold after it has been mined, and it has polluted the environment and poisoned the workers. On the other side of the Pacific, ocean floor mining is seen by investors as a golden opportunity, but critics disagree.