- Initiative targets 7,500 artisanal gold miners and will be spread in over five years at a cost of $24 million.
- In Zimbabwe, about 96% of artisanal gold mine sites use mercury, with miners working without protective gear.
- Mercury used in gold extraction goes a long way in polluting air, water and soil, thereby worsening food chains.
Thousands of workers in artisanal gold mines in Zimbabwe are set to benefit from a $23.7 million initiative that seeks to significantly reduce the use of toxic mercury element in the mineral’s extraction across the country.
The government-backed project aims to align the country with responsible mining industry standards at a time when buyers in the world are championing for ethical sourcing of minerals.
According to a statement, the initiative was launched in mid-November in the capital Harare with an Inception Workshop that drew stakeholders to discuss how planetGOLD Zimbabwe will support a more responsible artisanal gold sector.
Mr. Edward Samuriwo, who is the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife, outlined the project’s significance in addressing increasing concern and challenges of using mercury in Zimbabwe’s gold mining industry.
The PS reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and emphasized the pivotal role the planetGOLD project will play in supporting the country’s efforts to eliminate use of mercury in artisanal gold mining through the implementation of Zimbabwe’s National Action Plan.
Why mercury is dangerous in gold mining value chain
Mercury is a toxic element that is often used in the extraction of gold from ore. Quite often, it leaves miners exposed and vulnerable to lungs, skin and eye infections that can turn fatal. According to research, the mercury used in gold extraction goes a long way in polluting not just air, water and soil, but goes further to accumulate in the food chain over time.
Across the country, over 300,000 people work in artisanal gold mining, with the sector contributing to more than 40 percent of the country’s mineral exports. Reports show that about 96 per cent of artisanal gold mine sites in Zimbabwe use mercury, with miners often working without protective gear, therefore, coming to direct contact with toxic fumes.
Last year, about 237 people lost their lives in Zimbabwe’s unsafe artisanal mines. This was an increase from the 139 who were reported dead in the previous year.
Estimates show that Zimbabwe’s artisanal gold mining business yield roughly 24 tonnes of mercury, which are released to the environment every year. This scenario continues to put the lives of millions of people at grave risk, further burdening the nation’s struggling healthcare sector.
The five-year planetGOLD Zimbabwe project will be backed financially by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and rolled out by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The project is executed by the international non-profit organization, IMPACT, in close coordination with the government of Zimbabwe, a statement noted.
These parties will be working with local communities to sensitize and significantly reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining—the world’s largest source of anthropogenic emissions of mercury pollution—while improving the health and lives of local mining communities.
The Zimbabwe project is part of a global programme which is under implemention in 25 countries.
Formalization of the artisanal gold mines
Additionally, planetGOLD Zimbabwe project will be tailored to support the formalization of the artisanal gold mining business and increase miner’s access to finance in the country. Accordingly, this approach will lead to the adoption of mercury-free technologies and promote more responsible and traceable gold supply chains.
Zimbabwe ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury in 2021. In its National Action Plan, the country committed to strong cooperation among all stakeholders including government agencies and supply chain actors to improve the health and safety of communities involved in artisanal gold mining.
“Through the launch of the planetGOLD project, Zimbabwe moves towards more responsible artisanal gold mining. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to create a sustainable change in the sector,” said Yann Lebrat, IMPACT’s Deputy Executive Director.
Read also: US Sanctions Zimbabwe’s gold smuggling Kingpin Kamlesh Pattni
How mercury exposure affects humans
According to the World Health Organization, mercury is toxic to human health, and poses a a huge threat to the growth and development of a child including during pregrancy of a monther. Indeed, exposure of the fetus to methylmercury is known to pose danger to the unborn.
WHO notes that the health impacts of mercury are numerous and range from kidney and nervous system damage to challenges with one’s skin health. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
Accoriding to health experts, neurological and behavioural disorders may be observed in people after inhalation, ingestion or dermal exposure of different mercury compounds. Some of the symptoms that manifest are: tremors, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular effects, headaches and cognitive and motor dysfunction.
At the same time, people may experience “mild, subclinical signs of central nervous system toxicity can be seen in workers exposed to an elemental mercury level in the air of 20 μg/m3 or more for several years,” WHO states.
