Aladdin Separation Technologies : 03/01/2024

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Tracking gold mining derived mercury pollution into human diets in the Madre de Dios region of Peru

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest global anthropogenic mercury (Hg) source and is widespread in the Peruvian Amazon.

Saturday, March 30, 2024

What is the current global population engaged in small-scale mining and artisanal mining activities?

Despite the economic benefits and the critical role of ASM and SSM in sustaining communities, the sector is fraught with health, safety, and environmental concerns. These include exposure to hazardous substances like mercury and silica dust, leading to significant public health implications

Mongabay: Amazon prosecutors get sharper impact tool to charge illegal gold dealers

This is what illegal gold mining does to the Amazon in Brazil — once lush jungles filled with all manners of tropical life are reduced to a hellscape of desert, mercury-polluted ponds, poisoned species and dislocated people. I’ve seen this damage up close in Madre de Dios, Peru. It is heartbreaking — and unrelenting.

What is the environmental impact from artisanal mining in Puno?

This contamination stems from the unregulated nature of small-scale mining operations, which leave behind mining tailings that pollute lakes, rivers, and pastures, thereby impacting the health of both animals and the local human population

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Zimbabwe’s toxic gold rush: how would-be treasure hunters are causing ecological disaster

They are clogging and redirecting streams with dams and waste materials or “tailings”. And worst of all, they are poisoning water-sources with the neuro-toxin mercury, endangering not only their own lives but the lives of all those who live nearby.

How to communicate with minners community about mercury?

To effectively communicate with mining communities about mercury, it is crucial to consider culturally appropriate strategies, community social networks, and the socio-technical nature of the issue.

The Ban on Illegal Mining in Ghana: Environmental and Socio-Economic Effect on Local Communities

The impacts of illegal small-scale mining on biodiversity are significant, as mercury-containing chemicals are released into the aquatic environment, dramatically altering the pH of the water, poisoning aquatic species and leading to an overall decline in flora and fauna.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon

Today, modern Amazonian river dolphins face an uncertain future, mostly due to mercury pollution from gold mining invading the food chain, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Artisanal gold mining in Mali: making gold shine for the people of Gouandiaka

The project also supports gold miners and other players in the artisanal gold value chain to adopt good practices. Examples include eliminating the use of toxic products such as mercury from mining sites, ensuring the revenues from the gold do not help fund armed groups, reducing the environmental impact and, finally, initiating reforms at national level to improve governance.

Macron looks to regulate illegal gold mining in French Guiana

Workers in these areas would be held to sustainable mining rules, Macron said, including an existing ban on mercury, a toxic metal small-scale and illegal miners use in extraction which leaks into rivers, oceans, forests and spreads to human populations.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Water for peacebuilding in Ghana

In addition, unregulated informal gold mining in Ghana continues to pollute water bodies with heavy metals such as Mercury and Lead which are harmful to human life. These environmentally debilitating activities further affect the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolks, sometimes leading to tension.

Illegal mining threatens water security, peace in Ghana, neighboring countries – WRC

The Executive Director of the Water Resource Commission (WRC), Dr Bob Alfa, has warned about the growing danger posed by illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, to water security and the ultimate threat to peace in Ghana and with neighboring countries.

Monday, March 25, 2024

Preserving Ghana’s Water bodies: Uniting Against the Galamsey Threat

These activities involve the unregulated extraction of gold and other minerals, often using environmentally destructive methods such as mercury amalgamation and indiscriminate excavation. Galamsey pollutes water sources with toxic chemicals, sedimentation, and siltation, degrading water quality and disrupting aquatic ecosystems.

Mountains of gold, rivers of mercury: Poisoning of Guiana and the French Amazon

French Guiana has been a black spot for illegal gold panning for decades, that has led to mercury poisoning among the native population and contaminated rivers.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Eugene Osei-Tutu: World Water Day- Gold that impoverishes, water that kills

As you read this, our beautiful and major water sources of the county such as Ankobra, Bia, Birim, Densu, Pra and Offin were once upon a time the pride of the country and a joy to taste and behold, have been highly polluted due to galamsey. Many of these rivers have serious levels of pollutants; heavy metals and turbidity levels beyond acceptable limits.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Galamsey, a neglected risk factor of Kidney Failure?

Individuals in these areas face a heightened risk of mercury accumulation in their bodies through various routes, including consuming foods grown in contaminated soils, inhaling mercury vapors, ingesting water and fish with mercury levels, and absorbing mercury through the skin

GWCL to shut down two water treatment plant on River Pra due to galamsey

Galamsey operations involve the use of mercury and other chemicals to extract gold from the earth.

These toxic substances are often washed into nearby water bodies, contaminating them.

The mercury used in the process poses a severe threat to aquatic life and can accumulate in fish, making them unsafe for consumption.

Preserving Ghana's Water bodies: Uniting Against the Galamsey Threat

Rights court condemns Peru over one of world's most polluted towns

The court ordered that Peru carry out an analysis of the contamination of the air, water and soil in La Oroya, provide free medical care to the victims, and adapt the allowed standards for lead, sulfur dioxide, arsenic, mercury and particulate matter.

Friday, March 22, 2024

Impact of mercury contamination from gold mining on bolivia's indigenous communities

High mercury levels in indigenous communities, with Esse Ejja community showing mercury levels 8x above safety threshold, directly link to gold mining activities.

Galamsey: Stakeholders call for drastic, coordinated action to save water situation

They cautioned that the reckless destruction and indiscriminate pollution of major waterbodies with lethal chemicals through the galamsey menace had reached alarming rates and was undermining efforts to provide potable water to the populace.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

sustainable gold mining practices

Furthermore, the use of toxic chemicals, such as mercury and cyanide, in the extraction process poses a significant risk to both human health and the environment. These chemicals can contaminate water sources, causing long-term damage to ecosystems and wildlife.

Illegal gold mining and mercury pollution in amazon rivers: health risks and environmental impact

Mercury poisoning affects the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, causing irreversible damage to newborns from exposed mothers.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Some Nova Scotia lakes still dealing with contamination from old gold mines

Tailings are a sand-like substance left over after rock containing arsenic and gold is crushed and spread over liquid mercury to remove the gold. Both elements are poisonous.

The proliferation of illegal mining on OAU Campus must be stopped

One of the primary concerns associated with illegal mining is its devastating impact on the environment. Unregulated mining operations often involve the use of harmful chemicals such as mercury and cyanide, which are used to extract minerals like gold and lead.

After Years of Indigenous-Led Campaigning, Court Grants Rights to Peru's Marañón River

The Kukama women also aimed to halt infrastructure projects including hydroelectric dams and the Amazon Waterway—recognized as environmental risks by the International Union for Conservation of Nature—and warned that illegal gold mining has left the Marañón with mercury contamination that must be remedied.

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Prenatal arsenic and mercury levels among women practicing geophagy in areas with artisanal and small scale miners

Background Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) areas potentially pose increased exposure to arsenic and mercury through community contamination, occupations at gold mines, and/or geophagy when soil is locally sourced.

Mercury and CO2 emissions from artisanal gold mining in Brazilian Amazon rainforest

The Tapajós River basin in Brazil is one of the world's regions most affected by artisanal gold mining (ASGM), which is responsible for the release of mercury and high energy consumption. Mercury, mixed with gold-containing materials and then released through heating to extract the gold, can be recovered using a simple distillation device called a retort

Monday, March 18, 2024

NEMC supports artisanal miners with mercury-free gold smelting technologies Joseph Mwendapole

The National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) has come up with the Environmental Health Pollution Management Project (EHPMP) that aims to provide small gold miners with an alternative mercury technology.

The Proliferation Of Illegal Mining On OAU Campus Must Be Stopped – Kazeem Olalekan Israel

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Artisanal Gold Mining Mercury Pollution

The mercury used in these mining activities can also be responsible for the contamination of water and soil, posing health risks for communities near and far, but also to the global population. About 1/3 of the global annual release of mercury into the environment is due to artisanal gold mining.

How mercury poisons gold miners and enters the food chain

About 15% of the world's gold is produced by artisanal and small-scale miners, most of whom use mercury to extract it from the earth. In Indonesia, the industry supports some three million people - but the miners risk poisoning themselves, their children and the land.

MERCURY TRAINING FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THIRD EDITION

This training module includes the following sections: • magnitude of the problem • children’s vulnerability to mercury, exposure scenarios and health effects • prevention and management to reduce and prevent exposure • example of methylmercury poisoning.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Brazil’s Lula is losing his war against illegal miners in the Amazon

Indigenous people say armed miners threaten them, scare off wild game, and pollute rivers with mercury – poisoning the fish and their drinking water.

Assessment of Total Mercury in Hair, Urine and Fingernails of Small–Scale Gold Miners in the Amansie West District, Ghana

Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal that can cause several adverse health effects based on its form (organic, inorganic or elemental), duration and pathway of exposure. Measurement of mercury present in human biological media is often used to assess human exposure to mercury at mining sites.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Community monitoring for responsible mining in Zimbabwe

The “artisanal” label added to small-scale miners refers to their labor-intensive methods for extracting minerals. The work is associated with unsafe working conditions; the illegal use of mercury and cyanide, unrehabilitated pits, and environmental damage. Miners can fall sick, communities can lose drinking water, and the precious metals they unearth can contribute to and fund conflicts and corruption.

Thousands Evacuated From Illegal Mine in Venezuela

Miners use liquid mercury in order to extract gold and other precious metals, which poses an environmental risk and has previously led to water supplies being contaminated. According to tearline.mil, miners often use liquid mercury due to its low cost, ease of use, and efficiency when it comes to finding gold.

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Akorabuokrom women lament over negative impacts of illegal mining on families

Dr Rosemary Akolaa, a Senior Lecturer, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, taking the townsfolks through illegal mining threats to the wellbeing of women, called on Ghanaians to rethink about the dangers galamsey posed to the nation.

She said if the menace continued the future would be bleak with multiple environmental effects and a challenge to socio-economic development.

Greenpeace: Gold miners destroying massive amount of indigenous land

More and more gold prospectors have led to violence against indigenous people, pollution of rivers with mercury, deforestation and the loss of the cultural identity of the indigenous people, Greenpeace said.

Concern over Antelope Dam contamination

They hinted at the possibility of contamination of the water from a nearby mine, alleging that they discovered traces of mercury and cyanide in the water.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Mercury concentrations in Kayeli Bay, Buru Island of Indonesia: The update of possible effect of land-based gold mining

Since late 2011 mercury has been used to extract the gold requiring in artisanal gold mining in Mt. Botak (Buru Island) and resulting in deposition of mercury into Kayeli Bay.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Greenpeace: Gold miners destroying massive amount of indigenous land

Monday, March 11, 2024

About 72% of gold miners poisoned with mercury at artisanal mining sites in Cameroon

A recent study reveals that 71.7% of miners at artisanal gold mining sites in Cameroon show mercury levels at concentrations above the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
read more... https://news.mongabay.com/2022/11/about-72-of-gold-miners-poisoned-with-mercury-at-artisanal-mining-sites-in-cameroon/

Mercury poisoning from artisanal gold mining equipment

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining uses mercury to isolate gold from ore. Although uncommon in the United States, it is more common in poor and undeveloped countries. This practice requires heating mercury, which vaporizes into an odorless gas that can be inspired and absorbed into the blood.

GIA Provides Further Funding to Support Mercury-Free Initiative

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has awarded a $93,000 grant to advance and implement an initiative focused on eliminating the use of mercury in gold processing.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Illegal gold mining harms Kakamega’s ecosystem

Mining tailings (materials left behind after the economically valuable fraction of material has been extracted) are causing pollution as they are believed to be toxic and acidic. Tailings consist of substances like mercury, cyanide, and arsenic, which are used for further mineral separations.

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Intersectionality of Chemicals, Environment, and Gender Rights, Discussed in Women’s Day Webinar

The group’s pioneering work in artisanal small-scale gold mining to reduce the use of mercury among women and men miners has been consistent with this thrust. The current campaign to reduce the prolific use of mercury-added skin-lightening products is another important advocacy that exemplifies how gender mainstreaming takes into account the differences in the situation of women and men,” Edel Garingan from BAN Toxics said in the webinar.

Friday, March 8, 2024

Gold Can be a Curse in the Amazon

Illegal gold mining has also led to contamination of the rivers with mercury, a substance highly toxic to humans, especially children. A report by the Carnegie Amazon Mercury Project states that the mercury level of children in native communities is more than five times higher than the safety limit.

The global challenge of reducing mercury contamination from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM): evaluating solutions using generic theories of change

Mercury contamination from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) currently accounts for 37% of the global total, often affecting tropical regions where regulations, if they exist, are often poorly enforced.

Human Rights Council: Mercury, small-scale gold mining and human rights

The report examines human rights violations and environmental injustices that result from mercury use in small-scale gold mining and puts forward recommendations to countries to address them.

Proof of concept for a passive sampler for monitoring of gaseous elemental mercury in artisanal gold mining

Mercury emissions from artisanal gold mining operations occurring in roughly 80 developing countries are a major workplace health hazard for millions of people as well as the largest contributor to global mercury pollution.

Analyzing the dynamics influencing artisanal and small-scale mining in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality, Ghana

Additionally, water resources, which serve as sources of potable water for drinking and irrigation, are heavily contaminated with arsenic, mercury, lead, copper, and nickel. The study concluded that implementing stricter regulations on mining practices, promoting sustainable mining methodologies, and providing comprehensive training to miners on environmental protection and land rehabilitation can help mitigate the negative impacts of ASM.

Thursday, March 7, 2024

The global challenge of reducing mercury contamination from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM): evaluating solutions using generic theories of change

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Mercer works to reduce mercury pollution in artisanal and small-scale gold mining

“These miners are the number one source of mercury pollution on the planet, and they don’t do it because they don’t care about the environment,” said Dr. Adam Kiefer, Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry at Mercer. “They do it because they need to feed their families. They do it because there’s no formal training, mercury is cheap, it’s easy to use, and it’s portable.

Sudanese See Pollution As a Serious Problem Requiring Greater Govt Attention

one report estimated that 450,000 tons of mercury-filled gold-mining waste have been deposited in Nile River State

Human Rights Council: Mercury, small-scale gold mining and human rights

The report examines human rights violations and environmental injustices that result from mercury use in small-scale gold mining and puts forward recommendations to countries to address them.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Gold can be a curse in the Amazon

A picture of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Brazil and its mercury emissions and releases

This study presents a picture of ASGM in Brazil and prospective numbers on mercury emissions and releases in 2016, when the country declared production of about 90 tonnes of gold, of which circa 25 tonnes came from ASGM. However, it is also necessary to consider the illegal production of ASGM which is estimated to vary between 10% and eight times more than the legal production.

Global Burden of Disease of Mercury Used in Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining

Artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the world's largest anthropogenic source of mercury emission. Gold miners are highly exposed to metallic mercury and suffer occupational mercury intoxication. The global disease burden as a result of this exposure is largely unknown because the informal character of ASGM restricts the availability of reliable data.

Monday, March 4, 2024

Brazil's Mining Code Reform: A New Era for Investment and Environmental Responsibility

The gold mining sector, particularly in the Amazon region, exemplifies the environmental challenges associated with mining, including mercury pollution and deforestation. The reform of the mining code is seen as a crucial step towards mitigating these impacts and ensuring the sustainability of the industry. By attracting new investments and diversifying the sources of equipment and services, Brazil aims to foster a more responsible and competitive mining sector.

Gold can be a curse in the Amazon

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Education and equipment distribution lead to increased mercury knowledge and retort use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities in Senegal

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is an important livelihood, but also the largest contributor to anthropogenic mercury emissions globally.

The global challenge of reducing mercury contamination from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM): evaluating solutions using generic theories of change

World Wildlife Day 2024: 9 lesser-known endangered species

The main threat is mercury pollution that arises from small-scale gold mining activities. The mercury pollution reaches dolphins through the food chain as their primary food is catfish, which are bottom feeders greatly affected by metals like mercury in the water.

A picture of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Brazil and its mercury emissions and releases

Saturday, March 2, 2024

Aquatic Mercury Pollution from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Sub-Saharan Africa: Status, Impacts, and Interventions

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), unregulated artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) contributes up to 20% of global gold production and uses 205–496 tonnes/yr of Hg. Despite being a vital economic driver for 20–30 million people, ASGM threatens the health of aquatic systems from Hg pollution, presenting a complex challenge that demands urgent interventions.

Friday, March 1, 2024

Bolivia: Evidence that mercury contamination from gold mining is causing illness in Indigenous communities

.Bolivia has long been criticised for using mercury in small-scale gold mining, and growing evidence shows that mercury contamination is causing illnesses in poor communities. Mercury is used across the country, in mining projects in the cordilleras of the Andes and on dredgers extracting gold from the sediment at the bottom of waterways. The uncontrolled disposal of mercury waste creates toxic flows in Bolivia’s river systems.

Mercury poisoning from artisanal gold mining equipment

Artisanal gold mining uses metallic mercury to form an amalgam with gold containing ore. Heating of this amalgam causes the mercury to evaporate and leave behind the gold contained in the ore

GEF GOLD+ Bolivia: Enhancing the formalization and mercury reduction in artisanal and small-scale gold mining

To reduce the use of mercury and increase incomes in the ASGM sector in Bolivia through a holistic, multisectoral integrated formalization approach, and increasing access to finance leading to the adoption of sustainable mercury-free technologies and access to traceable gold supply chains

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