ABSTRACT
Arsenic contamination of the biosphere from various gold mining and refining operations jeopardizes the health and well-being of biological communities. This section documents the sources and extent of arsenic discharges to the environment associated with gold mining operations; arsenic risks to human health, with emphasis on gold miners, gold refinery workers, and children residing near gold mining and refining activities; arsenic concentrations in biota and abiotic materials near gold extraction and refining facilities; lethal and sublethal effects of different chemical forms of arsenic to representative species of flora and fauna; and proposed arsenic criteria for the protection of human health and selected natural resources.
