Mercury is a liquid at room temperature. Persistent and semi-volatile, it is perpetually available for possible bioaccumulation in the aquatic food chain. While there has been a modestprice increase since suspension of Federal sales of mercury, this is from a historically low price level. All of the material owned by the federal government was acquired before the early 1970 s so recent sales have been made at a significant loss. Private, profit-seeking mines have closed.
Governments now control world supply.
State-owned mines and sales of Government surpluses have led to a price collapse and represent, in effect, a subsidy to increased international use. While not an intended effect, the effect of these existing public policies is to encourage mercury use on a world scale. Recovery of mercury in the U.S. is largely driven by government policies which encourage recycling of wastes, not because mercury is needed by the marketplace. Europe and the US are net Hg exporters to emerging economies, such as China, India, Iran, South Africa, South America. There are relatively few environmental protections for mercury in many nations where use is now growing.