The True Cost of Gold | National Geographic

for generations Mongolian herders have

for generations Mongolian herders have traversed this vast and pristine

traversed this vast and pristine

traversed this vast and pristine countryside known as the land of the

countryside known as the land of the

countryside known as the land of the blue sky

National Geographic emerging Explorer

National Geographic emerging Explorer Zess comic buyer grew up here

Zess comic buyer grew up here

Zess comic buyer grew up here hurting yaks along the banks of the

hurting yaks along the banks of the

hurting yaks along the banks of the river and normal toad king with the son

river and normal toad king with the son

river and normal toad king with the son of a team they didn’t tell about telling

of a team they didn’t tell about telling

of a team they didn’t tell about telling our my lamp Mongolian say we are the

our my lamp Mongolian say we are the

our my lamp Mongolian say we are the children of father sky and mother earth

children of father sky and mother earth

children of father sky and mother earth party I believe this completely you know

party I believe this completely you know

party I believe this completely you know about there is nothing more precious

but others believed Mongolia’s gold

but others believed Mongolia’s gold copper and coal were far more precious

copper and coal were far more precious

copper and coal were far more precious than its environment mining has been a

than its environment mining has been a

than its environment mining has been a windfall to a country long mired in

windfall to a country long mired in

windfall to a country long mired in economic uncertainty but extracting and

economic uncertainty but extracting and

economic uncertainty but extracting and processing gold uses up a lot of water

processing gold uses up a lot of water

processing gold uses up a lot of water and creates extremely toxic waste

the aunt river used to supply water to

the aunt river used to supply water to 60,000 people and 1 million head of

60,000 people and 1 million head of

60,000 people and 1 million head of livestock but a decade ago due in large

livestock but a decade ago due in large

livestock but a decade ago due in large part to gold mining it ran dry tens of

part to gold mining it ran dry tens of

part to gold mining it ran dry tens of thousands of people who depended on the

thousands of people who depended on the

thousands of people who depended on the river were forced to move elsewhere yeah

river were forced to move elsewhere yeah

river were forced to move elsewhere yeah why don’t you do one being did 10 years

why don’t you do one being did 10 years

why don’t you do one being did 10 years ago if I’m standing right here the water

ago if I’m standing right here the water

ago if I’m standing right here the water level of my head monk buyers family and

level of my head monk buyers family and

level of my head monk buyers family and neighbors dug wells to reach the water

neighbors dug wells to reach the water

neighbors dug wells to reach the water but the groundwater was so contaminated

but the groundwater was so contaminated

but the groundwater was so contaminated the dozens of local children suffered

the dozens of local children suffered

the dozens of local children suffered serious liver damage my own family was

serious liver damage my own family was

serious liver damage my own family was affected by the pollution we faced the

affected by the pollution we faced the

affected by the pollution we faced the tragic loss of my mother who died

tragic loss of my mother who died

tragic loss of my mother who died because of liver disease which he was

because of liver disease which he was

because of liver disease which he was just given back to my son was one of the

just given back to my son was one of the

just given back to my son was one of the 30 or 40 children who also became ill

30 or 40 children who also became ill

30 or 40 children who also became ill cancer for my channel D if I were living

cancer for my channel D if I were living

cancer for my channel D if I were living in a cleaner environment monk buyer

in a cleaner environment monk buyer

in a cleaner environment monk buyer mobilized grassroots participation among

mobilized grassroots participation among

mobilized grassroots participation among citizens who previously felt they had no

citizens who previously felt they had no

citizens who previously felt they had no power to shape government policy in

power to shape government policy in

power to shape government policy in between similar sort of stuff but so I

between similar sort of stuff but so I

between similar sort of stuff but so I saw that people started to believe that

saw that people started to believe that

saw that people started to believe that citizens can a different

Wenlock buyer started his movement there

Wenlock buyer started his movement there were 37 active mines along the Han River

were 37 active mines along the Han River

were 37 active mines along the Han River in seven years he and his group have

in seven years he and his group have

in seven years he and his group have shut down 36 mines but the government

shut down 36 mines but the government

shut down 36 mines but the government continues to issue new permits word of

continues to issue new permits word of

continues to issue new permits word of his efforts has spread around the world

his efforts has spread around the world

his efforts has spread around the world a group of American Russian and

a group of American Russian and

a group of American Russian and Mongolian environmentalist traverses the

Mongolian environmentalist traverses the

Mongolian environmentalist traverses the countryside for a first-hand look at the

countryside for a first-hand look at the

countryside for a first-hand look at the impact for the gold mining among them

impact for the gold mining among them

impact for the gold mining among them National Geographic emerging Explorer

National Geographic emerging Explorer

National Geographic emerging Explorer Zeb Hogan why was it important to you to

Zeb Hogan why was it important to you to

Zeb Hogan why was it important to you to have everyone come together and see the

have everyone come together and see the

have everyone come together and see the situation in Mongolia Mongolians say

situation in Mongolia Mongolians say

situation in Mongolia Mongolians say instead of hearing something a thousand

instead of hearing something a thousand

instead of hearing something a thousand times it’s better to see it just once

times it’s better to see it just once

times it’s better to see it just once Hogan studies giant freshwater fish

Hogan studies giant freshwater fish

Hogan studies giant freshwater fish which are fast disappearing he’s worried

which are fast disappearing he’s worried

which are fast disappearing he’s worried that the gold mining gear is destroying

that the gold mining gear is destroying

that the gold mining gear is destroying the habitat of the endangered giant

the habitat of the endangered giant

the habitat of the endangered giant Eurasian trout known as the time in the

Eurasian trout known as the time in the

Eurasian trout known as the time in the time n used to occur in Russia China and

time n used to occur in Russia China and

time n used to occur in Russia China and Mongolia but because of activities like

Mongolia but because of activities like

Mongolia but because of activities like class or gold mining time men have

class or gold mining time men have

class or gold mining time men have disappeared for much of their original

disappeared for much of their original

disappeared for much of their original range and so now the same thing that has

range and so now the same thing that has

range and so now the same thing that has happened in many parts of Russia is

happened in many parts of Russia is

happened in many parts of Russia is happening here in Mongolia gold mining

happening here in Mongolia gold mining

happening here in Mongolia gold mining threatening the largest trout species in

threatening the largest trout species in

threatening the largest trout species in the world bug buyer and others in the

the world bug buyer and others in the

the world bug buyer and others in the movement work with herder families who

movement work with herder families who

movement work with herder families who depend on the river to sustain

depend on the river to sustain

depend on the river to sustain themselves in their livestock the group

themselves in their livestock the group

themselves in their livestock the group stops to visit with sendo Chur an 82

stops to visit with sendo Chur an 82

stops to visit with sendo Chur an 82 year old nomad who’s lived along the

year old nomad who’s lived along the

year old nomad who’s lived along the tule River her entire life my knee has

tule River her entire life my knee has

tule River her entire life my knee has impacted our lands a lot I can cry

impacted our lands a lot I can cry

impacted our lands a lot I can cry seeing how my land has changed one time

seeing how my land has changed one time

seeing how my land has changed one time I was on top of the mountain with my

I was on top of the mountain with my

I was on top of the mountain with my grandchild and she asked me why are you

grandchild and she asked me why are you

grandchild and she asked me why are you crying grandma and I said I cry Seng my

crying grandma and I said I cry Seng my

crying grandma and I said I cry Seng my land my land is turned into other indeed

land my land is turned into other indeed

land my land is turned into other indeed dear

passion for Lu also lives in the tule

passion for Lu also lives in the tule River Valley and the shadow of russian

River Valley and the shadow of russian

River Valley and the shadow of russian mining cranes because of the mining

mining cranes because of the mining

mining cranes because of the mining operations the rivers dried up and we

operations the rivers dried up and we

operations the rivers dried up and we drink the water from a puddle water

drink the water from a puddle water

drink the water from a puddle water residue we don’t have much pasture land

residue we don’t have much pasture land

residue we don’t have much pasture land left to hurt our animals this needs to

left to hurt our animals this needs to

left to hurt our animals this needs to be stopped but we don’t know how so

be stopped but we don’t know how so

be stopped but we don’t know how so let’s get back to their cars the end but

let’s get back to their cars the end but

let’s get back to their cars the end but during their ten-day trip the group also

during their ten-day trip the group also

during their ten-day trip the group also sees positive work being done to

sees positive work being done to

sees positive work being done to mitigate the damage caused by mining so

mitigate the damage caused by mining so

mitigate the damage caused by mining so I see a total of willows over there are

I see a total of willows over there are

I see a total of willows over there are those actually one mining company has

those actually one mining company has

those actually one mining company has planted about a hundred thousand willow

planted about a hundred thousand willow

planted about a hundred thousand willow tree saplings to help reclaim mined land

tree saplings to help reclaim mined land

tree saplings to help reclaim mined land bug buyers group has also begun

bug buyers group has also begun

bug buyers group has also begun restoration projects along the off river

restoration projects along the off river

restoration projects along the off river planting bushes that could stop erosion

planting bushes that could stop erosion

planting bushes that could stop erosion the bushes sweet yellow berries will

the bushes sweet yellow berries will

the bushes sweet yellow berries will also provide income for the local

also provide income for the local

also provide income for the local herders although more companies are

herders although more companies are

herders although more companies are getting licenses to operate along

getting licenses to operate along

getting licenses to operate along Mongolia’s rivers mum fire is still

Mongolia’s rivers mum fire is still

Mongolia’s rivers mum fire is still optimistic that with international

optimistic that with international

optimistic that with international assistance his group and others like it

assistance his group and others like it

assistance his group and others like it can stop destructive mining practices

can stop destructive mining practices

can stop destructive mining practices the universe hasn’t addressed yeah that

the universe hasn’t addressed yeah that

the universe hasn’t addressed yeah that would be tremendous named in your

would be tremendous named in your

would be tremendous named in your pseudonym did with ring Alstom Luke

pseudonym did with ring Alstom Luke

pseudonym did with ring Alstom Luke chapter things during the last eight

chapter things during the last eight

chapter things during the last eight years we’ve been trying to save our

years we’ve been trying to save our

years we’ve been trying to save our river and our water but in the overall

river and our water but in the overall

river and our water but in the overall picture or not succeed we can’t stop all

picture or not succeed we can’t stop all

picture or not succeed we can’t stop all the operations and we need to cooperate

the operations and we need to cooperate

the operations and we need to cooperate with international organizations

with international organizations

with international organizations fighting together we will resolve

for many Mongolians this beautiful

for many Mongolians this beautiful landscape is just as precious as gold

sponsored by National Geographic mission

sponsored by National Geographic mission programs taking science and exploration

programs taking science and exploration

programs taking science and exploration into the new millennium