ABSTRACT: Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) obviously contributes to serious environmental and health issue for miners, nearby populations, and larger community when the use of mercury (Hg) occurs. Mercury amalgamation is used as a gold recovery technique by 10-12 million ASGM miners around the world and a predicted around 1000 tonnes of mercury are discharged into the environment every year as a result of poor mining practices. Investigating the the effects of mercury on the environment and people health are urgently necessary for developing a better solution to eliminate further mercury contamination to environment in West Nusa Tenggara (WNT) Province. A field survey had been conducted for this research in two main ASGM spots in WNT Province: Sekotong-Lombok island and Taliwang-Sumbawa island. As part of the study, an initial health survey and socio-economic of workers/miners was conducted.
ABSTRACT: Mercury emissions from artisanal gold mining operations occurring in roughly 80 developing countries are a major workplace health hazard for millions of people as well as the largest contributor to global mercury pollution. There are no portable, cheap, and rapid methods able to inform workers or health practitioners of mercury exposure on site in remote locations. In this work, a proof of concept for a miniaturized mercury sampler, prepared by the direct reduction of gold into the porous nanostructures of Vycor glass (PVG), is introduced. Mercury retention on the PVG/Au sampler induces significant color changes which can potentially be quantified by the analysis of pictures obtained with a cell phone camera rapidly and onsite. Laboratory experiments showed the viability of using PVG/Au as passive sampler for monitoring of Hg. PVG/Au samplers were then deployed in an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operations in Burkina Faso and it was able to indicate personal mercury exposures. The amount of mercury quantified in the samplers for all miners was higher than the current personal exposure limit set by the US Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
ABSTRACT: Aquatic ecosystems are an essential component of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury (Hg), as inorganic Hg can be converted to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) in these environments and reemissions of elemental Hg rival anthropogenic Hg releases on a global scale. Quantification of effluent Hg releases to aquatic systems globally has focused on discharges to the global oceans, rather than contributions to freshwater systems that affect local exposures and risks associated with MeHg. Here we produce a first-estimate of sector-specific, spatially resolved global aquatic Hg discharges to freshwater systems. We compare our release estimates to atmospheric sources that have been quantified elsewhere.
Kocman, D.; Wilson, S.J.; Amos, H.M.; Telmer, K.H.; Steenhuisen, F.; Sunderland, E.M.; Mason, R.P.; Outridge, P.; Horvat, M. Toward an Assessment of the Global Inventory of Present-Day Mercury Releases to Freshwater Environments. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 138.
ABSTRACT: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a crucial economic activity in Burkina Faso, however it is associated with significant mercury exposure and health concerns. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of mercury (Hg) vapour exposures and occupational behaviours at a representative site using Hg vapour monitor badges and questionnaires. To our knowledge this is the first time that personal exposure to Hg vapour during ASGM activities has been reported. Mercury reduction and elimination interventions are strongly needed to reduce Hg exposure in ASGM communities, particularly as countries come into compliance with the Minamata Convention.
An updated Technical Global Background Report for the Global Mercury Assessment 2013 has been published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Dr. Kevin Telmer of the Artisanal Gold Council is a lead author and contributor. A key point within this report is the identification of artisanal and small-scale gold mining as the single largest source of anthropogenic mercury emissions to the environment.
The advanced text of the UNEP Minamata Convention is now available. Article 7 of this mercury treaty specifically outlines the use of mercury within artisanal and small-scale gold mining, and may have a large impact on gold miners and nations who host them around the globe.
October in Montevideo can be on the chilly side, but this was countered by the warm welcome from the Uruguayan Ministry of Health and the energy of representatives from ministries of health from across Latin America as they gathered earlier this month to discuss the health aspects of implementing the Minamata Convention. The region played an important role internationally in building support for the Convention, and is again leading the way in ratifying it so that it will enter into force. The workshop built on this regional momentum to ensure that health is addressed in National Action Plans for artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). And this is no mean feat.
First a little history. In 2001 the United Nations Environment Programme undertook a global assessment of mercury levels and their impacts. By 2003 it was decided that those impacts were significant enough to merit international action on reducing the risk of mercury exposure in the global environment. By 2009 it was decided that voluntary action in regards to these reductions was insufficient and that further action was required, mainly the production of a globally legally binding instrument to push towards mercury reduction and elimination…
15 million people in over 70 countries are involved with Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASGM). The activity is a major gold producer and significant contributor to rural economic development. Although practices vary across the world, it is well understood that ASGM frequently has negative environmental, social and health issues. For example, it is the world’s largest source of mercury pollution…
Over the past year as the price of gold has fallen, many have asked how artisanal miners will be affected. Some have speculated that the drop in the price of gold would lead to less artisanal mining activity – as it has for the industrial gold mining sector. But this is not generally the case. On the contrary, in many places it continues to grow. And this has also been true historically. Even through the 1990’s when the gold price descended to levels 4 or 5 times lower than today’s, artisanal mining persisted and continued without any significant contraction…
The promotion of simple mercury recycling technologies called retorts to reduce human exposures and environmental contamination is one of the most widely recommended interventions in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities. However if they aren’t introduced correctly, retorts are often abandoned or misused, which wastes resources and develops cynicism from miners, prevents reduction of environmental contamination, and in some cases actually increases mercury exposures…
Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is an industry that has existed for millennia. But the most important periods (simply by production volume) are the two phases: (1) the 19th century gold rushes – roughly 1849 to 1929 (80 years), and (2) the modern ongoing gold rush – roughly 1970 to present with a big kick in 1980, (40 years and continuing). The earlier phase primarily took place in English or former English colonies described as “liberal democracies”and played a key role in the economic development and the evolution of governance systems in these countries…
It has been over a decade since the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) first sounded the alarm about the transboundary nature of mercury pollution, and four years since the nations of the world started negotiating a treaty to tackle this global problem. Finally, this past January, in the wee hours of a snowy morning in Geneva, the 140+ member countries of UNEP finally agreed on the text of an agreement, to be named the Minamata Convention once it is officially signed in that Japanese city in October 2013…
In artisanal gold mining, mercury is essentially used to concentrate the gold. It does this by bonding with the gold to form a heavy amalgam that is then easily separated from the other minerals. It follows therefore, that if mercury is used as a mechanism of concentration, producing concentrates of gold ores through other means can enable reduction or even elimination of mercury use…
Those promoting borax as a replacement for mercury in small scale gold mining are overselling it and risk giving the impression that there is a miracle cure. They may be well intentioned but they are misleading the world by claiming that borax is a direct replacement for mercury. This is simply not true…
Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) presents a complex development and health-impact situation. On one hand it provides livelihoods to tens of millions people in the developing world while contributing significantly to the global supply of gold. On the other hand ASGM is accompanied by serious environmental, social and health concerns. Here we discuss the health concerns and their solutions…
There are approximately 50,000 small gold shops serving artisanal and small scale gold miners worldwide. They are a doorway to engaging artisanal gold mining communities and they are the first link of many in the artisanal gold supply chain to consumers…
How much artisanal gold is produced per year is an interesting and important question. It defines the size of the artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM) economy. This is an informal economy that mainly serves the important role of supporting rural development in developing countries – just as it did in western North-America 100 years ago. Typically around 70% of the value of the gold remains with the miners and in-country…
Although gold is the primary target of most Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Miners (ASGM) that use mercury, the role of silver on mercury use can be astonishing. When mercury is applied to ores that contain both gold and native silver, in order to get all the gold, enough mercury must be used to amalgamate both the gold and the silver. Because silver is less rare than gold, some ores can contain ten times as much silver as gold or more – silver to gold ratios of 10:1 or 20:1…
The price of mercury has has hit a new high of $1,850/flask (76lbs) or $53.67/kg and the gold:mercury price ratio has dropped to 840. Some part of the mercury price increase is likely due to increased demand from Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM), which is booming, along with the price in gold, and is now the world’s largest demand for mercury…
60 Minutes will do a piece on Artisanal and Small Scale Mining – mainly focusing on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Lets hope that 60 minutes does not just follow suit with the last 30 years of demonizing poor miners. Gold mining is an excellent mechanism to transfer wealth from rich countries to poor – a superb development opportunity, and the same one that developed a lot of the US and Canada. A big problem is that governments (often fed by media hysteria) do not provide any appropriate services or legal systems for poor miners to capitalize on the wealth they generate – so the wealth leaves the communities where it is created…
ABSTRACT: Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) within the Amazon region has created several environmental impacts, such as mercury contamination and changes in water quality due to increased siltation. This paper describes the effects of water siltation on the underwater light environment of rivers under different levels of gold mining activities in the Tapajós River Basin. Furthermore, it investigates possible impacts on the phytoplankton community. Two field campaigns were conducted in the Tapajós River Basin, during high water level and during low water level seasons, to measure Inherent and Apparent Optical Properties (IOPs, AOPs), including scattering (b) and absorption (a) coefficients and biogeochemical data (sediment content, pigments, and phytoplankton quantification).
The results suggest that the spatial and temporal distribution of phytoplankton in the Tapajós River Basin is not only a function of light availability, but rather depends on the interplay of factors, including flood pulse, water velocity, nutrient availability, and seasonal variation of incoming irradiance. Ongoing research indicates that the effects of mining tailings on the aquatic environment, described here, are occurring in several rivers within the Amazon River Basin.
