The country has geological rock formations similar to those in Mali and Ghana, which have well-established mining industries. Unlike its neighbors, industrial mining was non-existent until 2007 after the only gold mine closed in 1998 due to low prices and management problems, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. All mining was done with shovels and hoes by artisanal miners, who today number an estimated 400,000. They are mainly young men.
To read a story about Burkina Faso deploying troops to secure mines, click here
They’re often found encroaching on industrial sites, and dangerous practices such as using mercury to extract gold and digging unsafe tunnels are going to be curtailed, Dissa said. Dozens of people die every year as tunnels collapse even though the government prohibits small-scale mining during the rainy season from May to October.
No comments:
Post a Comment