East Africa is driving a global initiative to phase out the use of mercury in mining, as it is harmful to human health and the environment.
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Burundi have announced plans to phase out use of mercury in artisanal mining of gold, which tends to be poorly regulated due to the remote locations of the mines.
Mercury is used to recover gold pieces mixed in soil and sediments. Mercury and gold settle to form an amalgam, then the gold is extracted by vaporising the mercury through heating. The miners use rudimentary equipment — blowtorch or stoves at home. The miners inhale the vapour from the amalgamation, to the detriment of their health.
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