Sudan's Minister of Minerals made a plea for the use of safe chemicals in mining operations, and to ensure the regulation of traditional mining in accordance with international standards.
Minister Mohamed Ahmed El Karuri called on the Sudanese Parliament to enact legislation, and benefit from the experience of leading countries that use cyanide in the gold extraction process.
Popular actions against the use of toxic substances in gold mining sites in northern Sudan and in South and North Kordofan, have been growing stronger. Cyanidation is the most commonly used technique for extracting gold from low-grade ore, but because of its highly toxic nature of cyanide the process is controversial and banned in a number of countries.
El Karuri addressed a workshop on Monday, titled 'Alternatives to mercury and cyanide treatment in the mining process'. He said that Sudan's was able to produce seven tons of gold during the first quarter of this year. There are 361 registered mining companies; all of them use cyanide, Karuri said.
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