NPR's global health correspondent Jason Beaubien just got back from northern Nigeria, where he's been reporting on what health officials say may be the in recent history.
We hosted a live chat with Beaubien Thursday — hashtag #NigeriaGold. Catch highlights of the conversation below.
Beaubien learned that hundreds of children have already died and thousands more have suffered severe neurological damage. They can no longer walk, talk or feed themselves.
The poisoning comes from gold mining, which has boomed over the past few years as the price of gold has climbed.
Gold in this region is mingled with lead, and miners use primitive tools, including auto parts and metal clubs, to extract the tiny nuggets. The mining methods release lead into the air and soil. Children consume contaminated material, and the lead is absorbed into their blood.
Health workers have seen lead levels in children's blood at 30 times the amount considered dangerous. And, they still aren't sure how many children have been harmed.
Reporting on the problems was a challenging assignment. Even just getting to the remote mines was a involving two failed attempts at flying and a four-wheel-drive Toyota Land Cruiser trapped in Nigerian mud.
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