The Burmese word for drill translates to gun in English. Several years ago, in Myanmar's Singu township, over 100 gold miners working for small, locally owned mines, perished from an undiagnosed illness they named "gun disease," allegedly caused by breathing in dust from the drilling process. Improper medical care led them to be treated for tuberculosis, and a continued lack of safety equipment means the disease is likely to resurface, despite most mining families having moved away from areas thought to cause the disease. Nearby, a massive open-pit mine initiated in 2010, owned by Myanmar and Chinese business interests and operated by Thaidi Aung Swe Moe company, continues to expand without regulation or concern for surrounding villages. In both cases, the use of cyanide and mercury solutions in the extraction process, and their subsequent disposal, means large amounts of toxins are being deposited above ground without any environmental standards.
