The Minerals Commission is stepping up efforts to ban the use of mercury especially by small scale miners.
Artisanal and small scale mining in the country predominantly resort to mercury as the most effective material in refining the gold ore.
The effects of the harmful chemical in water bodies and source of drinking water in especially mining areas has become a worry to the commission.
Principal Officer at the Minerals Commission, Jerry Ahadji explained to Luv FM the indiscriminate use of mercury to trap gold concentrate is a serious issue so need for the ban.
“It is poisonous and a dangerous chemical. It gets into streams and sometimes into our food. That is why the world over, we want to ban mercury from small scale mining”. He said warned.
It is estimated that artisanal and small scale gold mining releases between 650 to 1350 tonnes of mercury per annum into the environment, averaging 1000 tonnes per annum from at least 70 countries.
- See more at: http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2016/February-5th/minerals-commission-moves-to-ban-the-use-of-mercury-in-small-scale-mining.php#sthash.Wfj2Dr5d.dpufhttp://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2016/February-5th/minerals-commission-moves-to-ban-the-use-of-mercury-in-small-scale-mining.php
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