Latest news with #artisanalmining
Zawya
7 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: We're formalising over 10,000 artisans miners into clusters — Kaduna mining MD
Managing Director of Kaduna Mining Development Company, Alhaji Shuaibu Kabir Bello, has hinted that they are formalising over 10,000 artisans miners into clusters because of their capacity to contribute to the economy and the export market. Speaking at a strategic engagement on the establishment of solid minerals clusters, aggregation centres organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in Kaduna, the MD noted they are actively involved in formalising their operations while adhering to safety and environmental standards. 'We are actively engaged in the formalisation of artisanal miners ,working diligently to organise them into clusters for effective aggregation. This initiative not only enhances their productivity but also ensures that we can collect accurate data on both the miners and their outputs. 'By formalising these operations, we are paving the way for better resource management, improved safety standards and increased market access for these miners. 'As we look to the future, I urge all stakeholders to join us in this clarion call for the formalisation of artisanal miners. By doing so, we can unlock significant value addition opportunities that will not only benefit the miners themselves but also contribute to the overall development of the mining sector.' In his address, the state coordinator, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Kabiru Yusuf, said Kaduna State is endowed with vast solid mineral resources with significant deposits spread across its 23 local government areas. He said the establishment of solid minerals clusters and aggregation centers is a strategic initiative aimed at unlocking the full potential of our mineral resources, creating jobs and boosting the internally generated revenue. Declaring the event open, the representative of Gov Uba Sani, the Commissioner of Business lnnovation and Technology, Mrs Patience Fakai commended the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and Kaduna Mining Development Company for bringing together miners, processors, exporters, investors and regulatory bodies, saying, this collaborative efforts underscore the determination to unlock vast potential of our solid minerals sector. He said, Kaduna State is richly endowed with solid minerals such as gold, tin, lithium, and gemstone. 'These resources if harnessed strategically can serve as a cornerstone for sustainable development, job creation and export competitiveness.' Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ghana to double small-scale gold mining output, expects $12bn annual revenue
The Government of Ghana anticipates annual revenues of $12bn (139.41bn cedis) from small-scale gold mining, if the output from its small-mine and artisanal mining operations is doubled as planned, according to a Bloomberg report. The recent surge in gold exports, driven by soaring international prices, has been largely attributed to the contributions of small-mine and artisanal production. To streamline operations and combat illicit trade, the Ghana Gold Board was established this year to oversee all gold transactions, aiming to enhance foreign-currency reserves. Ghana Gold Board CEO Sammy Gyamfi was quoted as saying: 'Our goal is to move above three tonnes [t] a week in purchases, up from about 1.5t a week in January.' 'We expect to be able to bring in about $6bn by the end of this year, but we are confident that we will reach the $12bn in annual inflows from next year.' Following a debt default in 2022, Ghana has been excluded from international capital markets. Nevertheless, the country is capitalising on its primary foreign exchange earner amidst rising gold prices, which are currently trading near $3,300/oz, the report said. Last year, Ghana's gold exports experienced a surge of more than 50%, amounting to $11.6bn, solidifying its position as Africa's leading gold producer. Despite representing roughly one-third of the nation's gold output, small-scale mining has contributed to an uptick in black market trading. To address this, the Ghana Gold Board has intensified its gold acquisitions from artisanal miners, as Gyamfi highlighted in an interview in the capital of Accra. He emphasised that the anticipated revenue growth from small-mine production would positively influence inflation, gross domestic product and the foreign component of Ghana's debt profile. Earlier this month, the Ghana Gold Board successfully negotiated with nine additional large-scale mining companies to procure 20% of their gold production. This move is part of the Bank of Ghana's domestic gold purchase programme, aimed at bolstering the country's gold and foreign reserves. These agreements extend beyond the initial cohort of mining companies involved in the central bank's scheme, marking a significant expansion of the national gold procurement strategy. "Ghana to double small-scale gold mining output, expects $12bn annual revenue" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
22-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Ghana Expects $12 Billion a Year From Small-Scale Gold Mining
Ghana expects to rake in $12 billion a year from small-scale gold production if output doubles as planned. Gold exports from the country have surged as international prices have soared, and much of that expansion is down to small-mine and artisanal production. The government this year set up a regulator to handle all gold buying and selling, hoping to boost foreign-currency reserves and curb black-market trading.
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Mercury fuels gold mining in Senegal. And it's poisoning the people who use it
KEDOUGOU, Senegal (AP) — The quickest way to separate gold from rock, Sadio Camara says, is with a drop of mercury. She empties a dime-sized packet of the silvery liquid into a plastic bucket of muddy sediment outside her home in southeastern Senegal. With bare hands and no mask, she swirls the mixture as her children look on. 'I know mercury isn't good for your health — that's why I don't drink the water it comes into contact with,' she said. 'I only process small amounts of gold, so there's no danger.' But even small-scale exposure can carry serious risks. Across West Africa, mercury — a potent neurotoxin — remains the dominant method for extracting gold from ore in the region's booming informal mining sector, much of it illegal and unregulated. In Senegal's gold-rich Kedougou region, women like Camara use the metal regularly, often without protective gloves and masks, to make a living. Mercury exposure can cause irreversible brain damage, developmental delays, tremors and loss of vision, hearing and coordination. Once released, it spreads easily through air, water and soil. Particularly after heavy rains, it contaminates rivers, poisons fish and accumulates up the food chain. A 2018 Duke University-led study found mercury levels in soils, sediments and water near artisanal gold mining villages in southeastern Senegal that exceeded safety thresholds set by the World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by 10 to 100 times. In artisanal mining, mercury is prized for its ability to bind quickly and easily to gold. Miners mix the liquid metal into crushed ore, and the mixture is then heated — often over open flames — to evaporate the mercury and leave behind a lump of gold. The process is cheap, effective and dangerous. 'If it hurt right away, like a knife, people would stop. But the issue is that it takes years for the dangers to manifest,' said Doudou Dramé, president of the Observatoire Territoriale du Secteur Extractif, an organization that advocates for safer conditions for gold miners in Kedougou. 'People are dumping it directly into the river. They're burning it in the open, releasing toxic smoke into the air. It's extremely dangerous.' Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the largest global source of mercury emissions, even more than the burning of coal, according to the UN Environment Programme. In Senegal alone, artisanal mines are estimated to release between 12 and 16 metric tons of mercury each year. 'Kedougou has rich land — very rich land,' Dramé said. 'Now mercury is everywhere. Our animals consume it, and it comes back to us. Even the soil is no longer fertile.' For women, a life that puts them in mercury's way Along the muddy banks of a rust-colored pond, dozens of women wade knee-deep as they rinse piles of sediment in search of gold. Children dart between mounds of earth while the runoff pools around their feet. With little access to clean water, many women spend long hours in local waterways to work, bathe their children, wash clothes and clean dishes. 'Women are much more exposed than men,' said Modou Goumbala, the monitoring and evaluation manager at La Lumiere, an NGO that supports community development in southeastern Senegal. That exposure can be especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing women. Mercury can cross the placenta, putting fetuses at risk of developmental delays and birth defects. Infants may also absorb the toxin through contaminated breast milk. Inside her kitchen hut not far from the stream, Camara heats a nugget of mercury-laced sediment with a metal spoon over an open flame. The toxic metal evaporates and leaves behind a kernel of gold. There's no mask, no gloves — just the raw materials and her bare hands. Her children stand just a few feet away, watching and breathing the fumes. Camara said she doesn't usually handle the burning herself; that task is typically left to men. But she and other women regularly mix and shape the mercury amalgam with no protection. One of her children suffers from frequent stomachaches, though she hasn't noticed any other symptoms. Still, the risks loom. Why take the risks? Because gold pays'The easiest way to earn money today is gold mining,' Camara said. 'Subsistence agriculture will not provide you enough for food or other needs.' In Senegal, gold processors like Camara typically process between 5 and 10 grams of gold per month, earning the equivalent of $370 to $745 — more than double the national average salary of about $200. Senegal ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2016, pledging to reduce mercury use and pollution. But the substance remains widely accessible. Most of the country's supply comes from Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana, with smaller amounts smuggled from dental clinics in Dakar, according to a 2022 report by the Institute for Security Studies. In 2020, the government promised to build 400 mercury-free gold processing units. So far, only one has been constructed — in Bantaco, about 15 miles from Camara's home. The facility uses gravity to separate gold from ore, eliminating the need for mercury by relying on sluices and shaking tables. During a recent visit, the rusting slab of metal sat unused beneath a corrugated roof. 'People used it for a while, but then they stopped, because one single unit can't cover an entire community,' Goumbala said. 'Naturally, those who were nearby could use it. But for those who are very far away, they can't afford to transport the ore all the way, process it and then go back. It's extra work. That's a problem.' Camara said she tried the unit, but in addition to being far away, it was less effective at isolating gold – some was lost in the process. Repeated efforts to schedule an interview with Senegal's director of artisanal and small-scale mining were unsuccessful. The director later said the department had been suspended. He did not provide a reason. Senegal swore in a new president in 2024, but residents say the problems remain. 'There's a new administration in place, but promises are still just promises,' Goumbala said. He believes the lack of progress is due to limited funding. In an effort to curb pollution, authorities temporarily suspended mining within 500 meters (1,640 feet)of the Faleme River, which cuts through Senegal's gold belt and forms part of the border with Mali. But enforcement is weak as officials struggle to stem the influx of informal miners, many of whom arrive from neighboring countries. Critics say the measure barely scratches the surface of the problem. 'The solution is to install the gold processing units within the communities — at least one per village,' Goumbala said. Even so, he acknowledged the challenges: The machines are expensive, difficult to maintain and require replacement parts that are only available abroad. There's also resistance among miners, who say mercury is more efficient and profitable. 'We need to convince communities that even if they make more money using mercury, in the end, they'll spend that profit on treating illnesses caused by it,' Goumbala said. 'The long-term consequences are far worse.' ___ Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP's environmental coverage, visit
The Independent
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Mercury fuels gold mining in Senegal. And it's poisoning the people who use it
The quickest way to separate gold from rock, Sadio Camara says, is with a drop of mercury. She empties a dime-sized packet of the silvery liquid into a plastic bucket of muddy sediment outside her home in southeastern Senegal. With bare hands and no mask, she swirls the mixture as her children look on. 'I know mercury isn't good for your health — that's why I don't drink the water it comes into contact with,' she said. 'I only process small amounts of gold, so there's no danger.' But even small-scale exposure can carry serious risks. Across West Africa, mercury — a potent neurotoxin — remains the dominant method for extracting gold from ore in the region's booming informal mining sector, much of it illegal and unregulated. In Senegal's gold-rich Kedougou region, women like Camara use the metal regularly, often without protective gloves and masks, to make a living. Mercury exposure can cause irreversible brain damage, developmental delays, tremors and loss of vision, hearing and coordination. Once released, it spreads easily through air, water and soil. Particularly after heavy rains, it contaminates rivers, poisons fish and accumulates up the food chain. A 2018 Duke University-led study found mercury levels in soils, sediments and water near artisanal gold mining villages in southeastern Senegal that exceeded safety thresholds set by the World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by 10 to 100 times. In artisanal mining, mercury is prized for its ability to bind quickly and easily to gold. Miners mix the liquid metal into crushed ore, and the mixture is then heated — often over open flames — to evaporate the mercury and leave behind a lump of gold. The process is cheap, effective and dangerous. 'If it hurt right away, like a knife, people would stop. But the issue is that it takes years for the dangers to manifest,' said Doudou Dramé, president of the Observatoire Territoriale du Secteur Extractif, an organization that advocates for safer conditions for gold miners in Kedougou. ' People are dumping it directly into the river. They're burning it in the open, releasing toxic smoke into the air. It's extremely dangerous.' Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the largest global source of mercury emissions, even more than the burning of coal, according to the UN Environment Programme. In Senegal alone, artisanal mines are estimated to release between 12 and 16 metric tons of mercury each year. 'Kedougou has rich land — very rich land,' Dramé said. 'Now mercury is everywhere. Our animals consume it, and it comes back to us. Even the soil is no longer fertile.' For women, a life that puts them in mercury's way Along the muddy banks of a rust-colored pond, dozens of women wade knee-deep as they rinse piles of sediment in search of gold. Children dart between mounds of earth while the runoff pools around their feet. With little access to clean water, many women spend long hours in local waterways to work, bathe their children, wash clothes and clean dishes. 'Women are much more exposed than men,' said Modou Goumbala, the monitoring and evaluation manager at La Lumiere, an NGO that supports community development in southeastern Senegal. That exposure can be especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing women. Mercury can cross the placenta, putting fetuses at risk of developmental delays and birth defects. Infants may also absorb the toxin through contaminated breast milk. Inside her kitchen hut not far from the stream, Camara heats a nugget of mercury-laced sediment with a metal spoon over an open flame. The toxic metal evaporates and leaves behind a kernel of gold. There's no mask, no gloves — just the raw materials and her bare hands. Her children stand just a few feet away, watching and breathing the fumes. Camara said she doesn't usually handle the burning herself; that task is typically left to men. But she and other women regularly mix and shape the mercury amalgam with no protection. One of her children suffers from frequent stomachaches, though she hasn't noticed any other symptoms. Still, the risks loom. Why take the risks? Because gold pays 'The easiest way to earn money today is gold mining,' Camara said. 'Subsistence agriculture will not provide you enough for food or other needs.' In Senegal, gold processors like Camara typically process between 5 and 10 grams of gold per month, earning the equivalent of $370 to $745 — more than double the national average salary of about $200. Senegal ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2016, pledging to reduce mercury use and pollution. But the substance remains widely accessible. Most of the country's supply comes from Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana, with smaller amounts smuggled from dental clinics in Dakar, according to a 2022 report by the Institute for Security Studies. In 2020, the government promised to build 400 mercury-free gold processing units. So far, only one has been constructed — in Bantaco, about 15 miles from Camara's home. The facility uses gravity to separate gold from ore, eliminating the need for mercury by relying on sluices and shaking tables. During a recent visit, the rusting slab of metal sat unused beneath a corrugated roof. 'People used it for a while, but then they stopped, because one single unit can't cover an entire community,' Goumbala said. 'Naturally, those who were nearby could use it. But for those who are very far away, they can't afford to transport the ore all the way, process it and then go back. It's extra work. That's a problem.' Camara said she tried the unit, but in addition to being far away, it was less effective at isolating gold – some was lost in the process. Repeated efforts to schedule an interview with Senegal's director of artisanal and small-scale mining were unsuccessful. The director later said the department had been suspended. He did not provide a reason. Senegal swore in a new president in 2024, but residents say the problems remain. 'There's a new administration in place, but promises are still just promises,' Goumbala said. He believes the lack of progress is due to limited funding. In an effort to curb pollution, authorities temporarily suspended mining within 500 meters (1,640 feet)of the Faleme River, which cuts through Senegal's gold belt and forms part of the border with Mali. But enforcement is weak as officials struggle to stem the influx of informal miners, many of whom arrive from neighboring countries. Critics say the measure barely scratches the surface of the problem. 'The solution is to install the gold processing units within the communities — at least one per village,' Goumbala said. Even so, he acknowledged the challenges: The machines are expensive, difficult to maintain and require replacement parts that are only available abroad. There's also resistance among miners, who say mercury is more efficient and profitable. 'We need to convince communities that even if they make more money using mercury, in the end, they'll spend that profit on treating illnesses caused by it,' Goumbala said. 'The long-term consequences are far worse.' ___ Follow Annika Hammerschlag on Instagram @ahammergram. ___
