Around one million children work in the artisanal gold mining sector, many of them in the poorest countries of Africa.
Mali is one such country, where small-scale artisanal miners rely on the revenue they can earn from digging for gold. So while the fighting in Mali’s north goes on, gold production continues unabated in the stable south and southwest of the country.
However, in these regions, as elsewhere in Africa, another battle is being waged, this time against the use of mercury in artisanal gold mining. Mercury is used by small-scale miners to separate the gold from its surrounding ore and rock debris. Though other safer substances can be deployed for this purpose, they’re not as cheap or as easy to use.
However, the widespread use of mercury – which has no taste or smell – causes frequent contamination of local water and food supplies. Once ingested or taken in through exposure to the skin or by inhaling fumes, it causes severe neurological problems. Children and unborn babies are particularly vulnerable, but high enough doses can cause brain damage in adults. Speaking to The Guardian, a senior environmental analyst confirms that in communities where small-scale gold mining takes place, it’s common to see “people who have tremors, who have difficulty walking [and] who have a lot of uncontrolled eye movements”.
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