The hazards of artisanal, or small-scale, mining and lead are well-known. But rarely have they coincided with such a disastrous outcome as in Zamfara. Artisanal gold mining — which is often unpermitted or illegal — typically involves manual labor, both in the mines and in extracting ore by breaking and grinding rock. Chemical extraction of gold ore using mercury also poses serious health hazards. Child labor is common in these mines, and very young children can be exposed to mining’s dust and chemical hazards when they accompany parents to work sites. Mercury is typically the primary chemical hazard in artisanal gold mines, but in Zamfara, “the lead poisoning has blown the doors of any mercury poisoning that’s occurring,” said Ivan Gayton, who is head of mission for MSF Nigeria, speaking from Nigeria.
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/how_a_gold_mining_boom_is_killing_the_children_of_nigeria/2500/
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