Their hand-dug shaft has reached about 10m in depth, and their
conversation revolves around estimates of how much they will make from a
pile of gold-bearing excavated rocks. The ore still has to be taken to a
miller about 15km away to be crushed, after which it will be mixed with
water and mercury to separate out the gold.
Truck operators who transport the ore charge them US$50 a ton, and
casual labour used for the loading demand $10 for the same quantity. The
millers charge a fifth of the gold obtained.
"We are at work almost every day of the week, going underground for
the ore. This is extremely hard work that has been associated with men
for a long time, but we are now used to it. We have to do it because, as
single mothers, we must feed our families," Madhoro told IRIN.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201311020021.html
No comments:
Post a Comment