Welcome to Learning English, a daily 30 minute program from the Voice of America.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

And I'm Mario Ritter Jr.

This program is designed for English learners,

so we speak a little slower and we use words and phrases especially written for people learning English.

Today you will hear stories from Brian Lynn and Anna Mateo.

Later, Jill Robbins and John Russell present an everyday grammar lesson on separable on separable phrasal verbs.

Finally, we hear today's lesson of the day.

But first,

illegal gold mining operations in Ghana have reportedly increased in recent years.

The activities present dangerous risks to the individuals involved as well as environmental harms.

The Reuters News Agency recently reported on the issue.

Reporters with the news agency visited such an operation in Western Ghana.

They found that workers were not using professional protective equipment

as they mined for gold in muddy water filled with mercury.

Groups of unofficial miners wore normal clothes and used only their hands to remove rocks.

The unlicensed mine is in the country's Prestia-Huni Valley District. It is an example of how increasing numbers of people

are turning to illegal methods to find gold to earn money.

Mining officials in Ghana say such operations can harm miners' health,

pollute waterways, destroy forests and farms, and increase crime rates.

One of the men working at the illegal mine told Reuters,

It's risky, but I just want to survive.

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