Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is poorly regulated in Ghana, Human Rights Watch said. The majority of mines operate without mining licenses, which are costly and difficult to obtain. Labor, environment, and other regulations are often not enforced. In addition, Ghanaian law allows the use of mercury for artisanal gold mining. Although it is particularly harmful to children, mercury is available in gold trading shops and provided by gold traders to child laborers. An international treaty, the Minamata Convention on Mercury of 2013, sets out steps to reduce mercury exposure, but Ghana has not ratified it.
“The government of Ghana has done far too little to protect its citizens from this toxic chemical,” Kippenberg said. “It should promptly start introducing mercury-free gold processing techniques, and ratify the Minamata Convention and put its requirements into effect.”
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