Introduction of mercury-free gold extraction to small-scale miners in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique

TY - JOUR

T1 - Introduction of mercury-free gold extraction to small-scale miners in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique

AU - Stoffersen, Birgitte

AU - Appel, Peter W.U.

AU - Na-Oy, Leoncio D.

AU - Sekamane, Asta Selloane

AU - Ruiz, Ivan Zahinos

AU - Køster-Rasmussen, Rasmus

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Background. The majority of small-scale gold miners worldwide, including those in Mozambique, use mercury to extract gold. Over the last fifty years, gold production from small-scale mining has been accelerating and consequently the amount of mercury released to the environment has increased dramatically, causing major global health problems. In 2018, a team from the Danish non-governmental organization Diálogos introduced the mercury-free gold extraction method in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique in the villages of Waqueia and Nanlia. Objectives. The objective of this project was to teach local miners this method to reduce mercury pollution. An additional objective was to compare the local gold extraction method and the mercury-free gold extraction method in terms of gold recovery. The hypothesis was that the level of gold recovery would be higher with the mercury-free method compared to the locally used amalgamation method. Materials and Methods. An experimental study comparing the two gold extraction methods was carried out where local miners processed gold-bearing ore using their standard procedures with the amalgamation method and the Diálogos team processed an equivalent amount of gold-bearing ore with the mercury-free gold extraction method. The tests were carried out once at each mining site. Results. Under even circumstances in a controlled setting, the mercury-free method yielded up to 78% more gold than the amalgamation method normally used by the miners. Conclusions. The strengths of the mercury-free gold extraction method include low costs, higher gold yield, benign environmental impact, legality and needed chemicals are more readily available compared with the amalgamation method. However, the mercury-free method may be more time consuming than the amalgamation method, especially for beginners. Borax is typically available in developed urban areas, as it is commonly used in the welding industry and by jewelers, but can be hard to find in more remote villages. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

AB - Background. The majority of small-scale gold miners worldwide, including those in Mozambique, use mercury to extract gold. Over the last fifty years, gold production from small-scale mining has been accelerating and consequently the amount of mercury released to the environment has increased dramatically, causing major global health problems. In 2018, a team from the Danish non-governmental organization Diálogos introduced the mercury-free gold extraction method in the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique in the villages of Waqueia and Nanlia. Objectives. The objective of this project was to teach local miners this method to reduce mercury pollution. An additional objective was to compare the local gold extraction method and the mercury-free gold extraction method in terms of gold recovery. The hypothesis was that the level of gold recovery would be higher with the mercury-free method compared to the locally used amalgamation method. Materials and Methods. An experimental study comparing the two gold extraction methods was carried out where local miners processed gold-bearing ore using their standard procedures with the amalgamation method and the Diálogos team processed an equivalent amount of gold-bearing ore with the mercury-free gold extraction method. The tests were carried out once at each mining site. Results. Under even circumstances in a controlled setting, the mercury-free method yielded up to 78% more gold than the amalgamation method normally used by the miners. Conclusions. The strengths of the mercury-free gold extraction method include low costs, higher gold yield, benign environmental impact, legality and needed chemicals are more readily available compared with the amalgamation method. However, the mercury-free method may be more time consuming than the amalgamation method, especially for beginners. Borax is typically available in developed urban areas, as it is commonly used in the welding industry and by jewelers, but can be hard to find in more remote villages. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

KW - Amalgamation

KW - Borax

KW - Health

KW - Mercury

KW - Mozambique

KW - Small-scale gold mining

U2 - 10.5696/2156-9614-8.19.180909

DO - 10.5696/2156-9614-8.19.180909

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 30524868

AN - SCOPUS:85053350196

SN - 2156-9614

VL - 8

JO - Journal of Health and Pollution

JF - Journal of Health and Pollution

IS - 19

M1 - 180909

ER -