artisanal and small-scale gold mining: local problems, global challenges. presented at ipen...

Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining:

Yuyun Ismawati - [email protected] - Indonesia Toxics-Free Network

IPEN Lead for ASGM/Mining

IPEN International Toxic Metals SkillshareMinamata, Japan

3rd-4th of October, 2013

Local�� problems,�� global�� challenge

Outline

Gold rush 160 years ago and nowASGM distribution, characteristics and actors General impactsASGM in mercury treaty and your role

Gold Rush Legacy 1800sAustralia

About 400,000 metric tonnes mercury released to the environment

Gold Rush Legacy 1800sCalifornia, USA

The mercury legacy in the red spots remained as big problems for communities, especially the Indigenous Peoples - the native American Indians

Gold Rush Legacy 1980s Serra Pelada, Brazil

Mined by 100,000 people in 6 years


Photos: Bernadelli, 1983

About half billion USD worth gold was mined released about 100-150 metric tonnes of mercury


Closed in 1986, now becomes the most contaminated lake in Brazil

19 AP countries

19 AP countries

77 ASGM countries

19 AP countries

33 African countries

19 LAC countries

4 CEE countries

2 North American countries

GOLD RUSH TODAY

Gold Rush in the 21st Century • Social and environmental

production of suffering • UNEP: example of ‘Green

Economy’• 37% of the global emission (727

T/y in average)• Employed >20 millions people

in impoverish communities, >1 million women and children

• Produced approx. 20-30% of the global gold production - by the end of 2013: 4000 T (China & India)

Source: UNEP, 2013 Tragic sets of circumstances similar to those of Minamata disease could easily recur in our modern society. We need to be aware of the dangers - Dr. Harada

Global mercury trade (2011)http://www.zoinet.org/web/sites/default/files/publications/MercuryTradeMap2011.pdf

An empirical cycle of ASGM Practices

Time (year)

TRANSITION

R&D Trial / exercise Resources deployment Investment & supply push Declining period Degradation/scavenging period

A B

ASGM Sites

•Govt. survey•Research papers•Traditional/local knowledge

•Subsistence economic activity

•Individual•Subsided•Loans•Experienced/ skilled miners

•Financiers•Loan•Simple technology

•Risk taker/entrepreneurial mentality

•Encroaching

•Profit sharing•Loose employment contract

•Environmental problems

•Human rights violation

•Exchange information

•Learning by doing

•Semi-industrial•Vertical-horizontal conflicts

•Social-economic dynamic

Declining Stage: “Scavenging Stage”Supply pull

•Too many miners, too little gold

•Contaminated sites and abandoned mine shafts too dangerous to live with

•New regulation issued by the authority

•New promising ASGM sites found somewhere else

Low quality

Productionaccelerated

Early Stage: “Conventional Exploration”

AB

CRISIS

CRISIS

Later Stage: “Exploitation Stage”Supply pushThe rate of

gold Production

(T/y)

•Environmental, health and socio-economic problems worsened

•Alternative livelihood available

•Better opportunity for skilled/experienced miners in new sites

Crisis

TRANSITION

R&D Trial /exercise Resources deployment Investment & supply push Crisis

CRISIS

CRISIS

TRANSITION

Ismawati, 2011

Capital Investor(s)

Equipment/production investor

Shaft/Hole exploration

‘Expert’ UP-STREAM(ORE MINING)

MIDDLE-STREAM(ORE PROCESSING)

DOWN-STREAM(METALLIC GOLD AND END-SALE)

Crushing Load/unload

Supporting team (pumping the air, fire, supplies, etc.)

Digging

Capital Investor(s)


Transporter

Ball-Mills Unit‘Expert’

Tailings handling

Supporting team (generator set up, diesel fuel supplies,

etc.)Mixing, burning

amalgam (40-60%)

Fine Crusher Unit

Cyanide Plant Unit‘Expert’Intermediate Gold buyer/

kiosk

Capital Investor(s)/ intermediaries/ gold

trader

Metallic gold process

Gold shop/ jewelry shop

MERCURY ADDED

Transporter

Rehabilitation

THE LIFE-CYCLE OF ASGM (ROCK/PRIMARY ORE TYPE)(Ismawati, 2011)

MERCURY ADDED

The Life-Cycle Overview of ASGM Activities: Up-stream

Capital Investor(s)/financiers


CrushingLoad/unload

Supporting team (pumping the air, fire, hg supplies, etc.)Digging

Transporters


‘Experts’ Sluice box/panning

Boat/compressor

mining

Hg Hg

Hg

MIDDLE-STREAM

UP-STREAMHg

Up-Stream Level Actors

Capital Investor(s)/financiers


CrushingLoad/unload

Supporting team (pumping the air, fire, hg supplies, etc.)Digging

Transporters


‘Experts’ Sluice box/panning

Boat/compressor

mining

Hg Hg

Hg

Hg

FinanciersGold trader

Hg traderLandownersLocal authorities Local leaders

‘Experts’

Brokers

Bosses

MinersHelpers

Sellers

Hookers/sex workers

Transporters

Coolies

Drugs dealers

SecurityThugs

Health workers

Researchers Utilities suppliers

Opportunists

Anti-mining campaigners Development workers

Gate/portal keepers

Journalists

Repair/handyman

The Life-Cycle Overview of ASGM Activities: Middle-stream

Capital Investors/ financiers


Ball-Mills Unit‘Experts’

Tailings handling Mixing/burning amalgam

Fine Crusher Unit

MIDDLE-STREAM

UP-STREAM

DOWN-STREAM

Transporters

Coarse Crusher Unit

Utilities (water/oil/electricity) suppliers

Wastewater management

Transporters

Gold 20-60%

Hg

Hg Hg Hg

Hg

Middle-Stream Level Actors

Capital Investors/ financiers


Ball-Mills Unit‘Experts’

Tailings handling Mixing/burning amalgam

Fine Crusher Unit

Transporters

Coarse Crusher Unit

Utilities (water/oil/electricity) suppliers

Wastewater management

Transporters

Gold 20-60%

Hg

Hg Hg Hg

Hg

Hg traders/smugglers

Landowners

Local authoritiesLocal leaders

Brokers Bosses

Helpers

Sellers

Sex workers

Transporters

Coolies

Drugs dealers

Security

ResearchersUtilities suppliers

Development workers

Repair/handyman

Metal workshops

Gold shops

Gold trader

Financiers

Religious leaders/workers

The Life-Cycle Overview of ASGM Activities: Down-stream

UP-STREAM

DOWN-STREAM

Cyanide Plant‘Experts’Intermediate Gold

buyer/kioskCapital Investor(s)/

intermediaries/ gold trader


Gold shop/ jewellery shop

Transporter

MIDDLE-STREAM

Tailings/contaminated environment

Hg

Hg Hg

DOWN-STREAM

Cyanide Plant‘Experts’Intermediate Gold

buyer/kioskCapital Investor(s)/

intermediaries/ gold trader


Gold shop/ jewellery shop

Transporter

Tailings/contaminated environment

Hg

Hg Hg

Downstream-Stream Level Actors

Landowners

Local leaders

Chemicals suppliers

Transporters

CooliesUtilities suppliers

Development workers

Gold shops

Gold trader

Financiers

Conservations/forests researchers

Pimps

HelpersUP-STREAM

Sex workers

Brokers

General Impacts of ASGM

Environmental Sustainability

Traditional knowledge and wisdom

Cultural practices and identity

Natural resources potential and heritage

[-] [+]

The right to live in a healthy environment

Jobs (to die for)

Ripple economy effect (vs rip-off

effects)Local economic

development

Wealth/rich

‘Green economy’New research

findings

Environmental degradation

Threats for existing livelihood

Uncontrolled migration/movement of hg and

gold

‘Unknown diseases’, genocides

Social, cultural, and physical conflictsMaterial world/

corruptions

Ghost towns

Lethal livelihoodModern/economic

slavery

Mercury poisoning in ASGM areasNon exposed

groupLow exposed

groupMedium

exposed groupHigh exposed

groupTotal

number

Philippines 1999 37 106 50 39 232

Indonesia - Kalimantan 2003

0 67 31 70 168

Indonesia - Sulawesi 2003

21 17 22 62 122

Tanzania 2003 31 50 34 103 218

Zimbabwe 2004 36 22 18 117 193

Zimbabwe 2006 43 54 13 13 123

Mongolia 41 92 13 50 196

Total 209 408 181 454 1252

Source: Bose-O’Reilly, 2013

Mercury intoxication in ASGM areas

Typical symptoms (ataxia, coordination problems, tremor)

+High mercury levels in human

specimens=

Chronic mercury intoxicationDrasch G, The Mt. Diwata study on the Philippines 1999--assessing mercury intoxication of the population by small scale gold mining. Sci Total Environ 2001Bose-O'Reilly S. Health assessment of artisanal gold miners in Indonesia. Sci Total Environ 2010.Bose-O'Reilly S. Health assessment of artisanal gold miners in Tanzania. Sci Total Environ 2010.Steckling N. Mercury exposure in female artisanal small-scale gold miners (ASGM) in Mongolia: An analysis of human biomonitoring (HBM) data from 2008. Sci Total Environ 2011.

Source: Bose-O’Reilly, 2013

THE NIP, THE NAP, AND THE GAPS

• Art. 2 - definitions• (k). Use allowed” means any use by a Party of mercury or

mercury compounds consistent with this Convention, including, but not limited to, uses consistent with Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

• Art. 3 - supply sources and trade - inventory toolkits, import and export of mercury, sunset date of hg use in ASGM, gold trade

• Art. 7 - ASGM - with the associated Annex C on ASGM’s NAP - global reduction target ? what kind of health measures ?

• Art. 8 & 9 - Emissions and releases to land and water - safe level standard, contamination in food chains, fish advisory

THE NIP, THE NAP, AND THE GAPS..... cont.

• Art.10 - interim storage of mercury - hg imported for ASGM, tight control, potential hotspot

• Art.12 - contaminated sites - on-going and at the abandoned sites/water

• Art.16 - Health aspects - early detection of mercury poisoning, treatment, biomonitoring

• Art.17 - Information exchange - lessons learned, guidance, advisory

• Art.20 - Implementation plan - consisted of several sectoral NAPs, local action plans

what’s next ?

• Declare: more than insignificant --> inventory, NIPs, NAPs and LAPs

• Pay attentions to: • import/export of mercury - UNCOMTRADE HS280540,

country’s import-export statistic• gold production statistic• biomonitoring results• news clippings - hotspots map, database, profile• 10 top diseases in the ASGM hotspots or neighbouring

areas• abandoned mining sites/waters/contaminated sites

Thank you for your attention