The residents of Penhalonga, Zimbabwe face systematic poisoning from illegal and poorly regulated gold mining operations that have contaminated their water supply with toxic levels of mercury and cyanide. Tests conducted by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe in 2023 revealed mercury levels in Lake Alexander – which supplies water to 15,000 Penhalonga residents and 224,000 people in nearby Mutare – far exceeding the safety threshold of 0.02 milligrams per litre. The contamination stems from approximately 1,000 mining pits where artisanal miners use mercury to separate gold from ore and deposit toxic waste into nearby river streams. Additionally, six cyanidation plants in the area release cyanide into water sources during gold processing. Environmental expert Tapuwa O'bren Nhachi notes that "the community is going to carry the burden of diseases due to lack of a clean environment whilst a few politically connected individuals profiteer." Although Zimbabwe's 2002 mining regulations require an Environmental Impact Assessment before mining activities can begin, activists believe this process is often corrupted through bribes to locals to influence the outcome, allowing dangerous operations to continue at the expense of community health and safety