Identifying and analyzing the causes and consequences that generate the high consumption of mercury in gold mining activities is an internacional priority. In Colombia, eighty-seven percent of the country's gold mines have no mining title and only 3% posses environmental lawlessness, the failures of formalization programs and the inadequacy of importation controls on the supply are the cause of the high consumption of mercury in Colombian mining. To diagnose the country's gold mining activities and the excessive use of mercury in them, we used six information sources (semi-structured interviews, 2011 Census on Mining Activities), nine dependent and 21 independent variables. The study evidenced the miners' partiality in favor of the use of mercury in the procurement of gold; the process is easy, quick and inexpensive. Mercury concentrations were found to be above tolerable levels. In response, government has opted for a policy of persecution of the activity rather than the promotion of their formalization.
Introduction For much of the 1990s, the tourist town of Bergama was the epicentre of Turkey's most effective and visible environmental social movement against a multinational mining corporation aiming to establish the first modern gold mine in the country. Bringing relatively prosperous peasants together with a small group of ambitious policy entrepreneurs, the movement marked a turning point in environmental politics in Turkey. Motivated primarily by the environmental and public health risks posed by cyanide leaching, the peasant activists waged an unprecedented campaign that acted as a forceful reminder of the potential of social mobilization to impart lasting change both at the local and national level. While the peasant activists failed at the end to stop the operation of the mine, their campaign sparked a national discussion over the environmental costs of rapid economic growth in Turkey.
In: de Theije , M & Salman , T 2018 , Conflicts in marginal locations : Small-scale gold-mining in the Amazon . in K Lahiri-Dutt (ed.) , Between the Plough and the Pick : Informal, artisanal and small-scale mining the contemporary world . , 12 , Australian National University Press , Acton , pp. 261-274 . https://doi.org/10.22459/BPP.03.2018
Conflicts of different nature surround the activity of small scale gold mining. After first addressing some of these conflicts, we subsequently focus on how the fact that the activity often takes place in remote and marginal areas, influences the ways these conflicts emerge and develop. We distinguish four different takes on the issue, and discuss each of these on the basis of case studies in Peru and Surinam. We finally suggest some general conclusions about the role of geographical and political distance as a structural feature in the conflicts around gold mining.
Gold mining, like all other forms of mining, is strongly associated with the production of a wide range of residues, whether this concerns (toxic) waste materials or the environments transformed in pursuit of gold. Frequently, these residual products, such as soil, mud, rocks, and water, as well as the environments from which they are extracted or where they are deposited, appear as waste, cast aside or abandoned, rendered as useless by-products or destroyed lands. In this photographic essay, we build on recent insight regarding the fluid character of waste by extending analysis into both the domains of materials and of space because not only can specific materials be repurposed as resources, but also specific spaces can be transformed from sites of abandonment to sites of production (or vice versa), whether for mining or other activities. These photographic series show how different actors repurpose material and spatial residues. By centralising images of processes of repurposing, this essay nuances and offers a counterweight to dominant visual narratives. These typically focus on environmental and social damage, and often take a perspective 'from above' as they largely draw on aerial images. In doing so, these narratives tend to flatten or even erase local complexity and heterogeneity, and risk reproducing received negative stereotypes about artisanal and small-scale mining and miners. Importantly, as will transpire throughout the essay, the phenomena and processes depicted in our images shape and are shaped by different social, political, economic, technological, environmental, and historical relations and dynamics. These include, for example, former mining trajectories, gendered production relations, miners' socio-economic positions, the involvement of external actors, and the introduction of new capital, knowledge and technologies. Ultimately, this illuminates the necessity of approaching 'waste' in fluid, relational, and transformative terms as material and spatial endings are turned into new beginnings. ; Funders: Belmont Forum, NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Cooperation in Europe). ; Gold Matters
The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of socio-economic relations in gold mining in Bombana Regency. This research was carried out in Tahi Ite Village, Rarowatu District, Bombana Regency by using a qualitative approach. The results showed that the pattern of socio-economic relations in gold mining in Tahi Ite Village, Rarowatu Subdistrict, Bombana District intertwined, among others; 1) Government's Social-Economic Relationship with the Community, namely the transfer of management with consideration of income. 2) Government's Socio-Economic Relations with Investors, namely increasing regional own-source revenue (PAD) through profit-sharing/royalty 3) Investor's Social-Economic Relationship with the Community, namely the opening of employment opportunities. 4) Socio-Economic Relations Among Communities, namely land management by way of profit sharing or percent of the land.
ABSTRACTThis study was aimed to analyze the impact of gold mining on livelihoods of farmers in rural area of Bombana District. The research used sustainable livelihoods approach which focus on vulnerability context faced by farmers around gold mine site and ownership of and access to capital assets which were influenced by mining activity, which in the end lead to increasing or decreasing livelihood outcome of farmers in the area. The study was done in three villages around the gold mine site. Data was gathered through combination of quantitative and qualitative method using sample survey, in-depth interview and focus group discussion. The result showed that there was declining on rice production due to decreasing of farm land and land degradation as a result of draught season that affected the area. Watu-Watu village was the worst in terms of the loss of natural assets compare to other villages. Policy, institution and process which were represented by government and mining companies have added local communities' exposure to vulnerability context they already faced. Livelihood diversification was chosen as coping strategy out of livelihood crisis due to the loss of productive assets caused by mining activities.Keywords: gold, mining, farmers, livelihood, BombanaABSTRAKPenelitian ini dilakukan untuk menganalisa dampak kegiatan peambangan emas terhadap capaian penghidupan masyarakat di wilayah pedesaan kabupaten BombanA, dengan menggunakan pendekatan penghidupan yang berkelanjutan, yang menekankan pada konteks kerentanan yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat petani di sekitar wilayah penambangan serta pola kepemilikan dan akses terhadap aset-aset penghidupan yang dipengaruhi oleh kegiatan penamanbangan, yang pada gilirannya dapat meningkatkan atau menurunkan kemampuannya dalam memperoleh capaian penghidupan yang lebih baik. Penelitian ini akan dilakukan di tiga desa di loaksi penambangan. Metode penelitian menggabungkan antara metode kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Metode kualitatif melalui Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), fokus grup diskusi dan wawancara mendalam, dan metode kuantitatif dengan menggunakan sample survey. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya penurunan produksi pertanian di lokasi penelitian yang disebabkan berkurangnya lahan pertanian dan kerusakan lahan akibat kekeringan yang melanda lokasipenelitian. Desa Watu-Watu merupakan desa yang terparah dalam hal kehilangan aset penghidupan dibandingkan kedua desa lainnya. Keberadaan kebijakan, kelembagaan dan proses yang diwakili oleh pemerintah dan perusahaan penambangan merupakan faktor yang semakin menekan posisi masyarakat setempat dalam konteks kerentanan yang dihadapinya. Upaya masyarakat untuk keluar dari krisis penghidupan akibat berkurang akses terhadap aset penghidupan melahirkan diversifikasi sumber nafkah sebagai bentuk coping strategy, dan tidak semata-mata tergantung pada sektor pertanian, tetapi juga pada sektor non pertanian.Kata kunci: tambang emas, penghidupan, petan, Bombana.
This is an open access article under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes. ; Mercury‐dependent artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest source of mercury pollution on Earth. In this practice, elemental mercury is used to extract gold from ore as an amalgam. The amalgam is typically isolated by hand and then heated—often with a torch or over a stove—to distill the mercury and isolate the gold. Mercury release from tailings and vaporized mercury exceed 1000 tonnes each year from ASGM. The health effects on the miners are dire, with inhaled mercury leading to neurological damage and other health issues. The communities near these mines are also affected due to mercury contamination of water and soil and subsequent accumulation in food staples, such as fish—a major source of dietary protein in many ASGM regions. The risks to children are also substantial, with mercury emissions from ASGM resulting in both physical and mental disabilities and compromised development. Between 10 and 19 million people use mercury to mine for gold in more than 70 countries, making mercury pollution from ASGM a global issue. With the Minamata Convention on Mercury entering force this year, there is political motivation to help overcome the problem of mercury in ASGM. In this effort, chemists can play a central role. Here, the problem of mercury in ASGM is reviewed with a discussion on how the chemistry community can contribute solutions. Introducing portable and low‐cost mercury sensors, inexpensive and scalable remediation technologies, novel methods to prevent mercury uptake in fish and food crops, and efficient and easy‐to‐use mercury‐free mining techniques are all ways in which the chemistry community can help. To meet these challenges, it is critical that new technologies or techniques are low‐cost and adaptable to the remote and under‐resourced areas in which ASGM is most common. The problem of mercury pollution in ASGM is inherently a chemistry problem. We therefore encourage the chemistry community to consider and address this issue that affects the health of millions of people. ; The authors are grateful for the generous financial support provided by Flinders University, The Australian Research Council (DE150101863), and the Australian Government National Environmental Science Programme Emerging Priorities Funding.
In: Jonkman , J 2021 , ' Underground multiculturalism : Contentious cultural politics in gold-mining regions in Chocó, Colombia ' , Journal of Latin American Studies , vol. 53 , no. 1 , pp. 25-52 . https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022216X2000098X
This article maps the contentious forms of political life that emerge when multicultural rights and non-formal gold extraction coincide. Specifically, it shows how, in the Colombian department of Chocó, Afro-descendant community councils have produced a unique form of mining governance that, while depending for its legitimacy on everyday uses of Afro-Colombian legislation, consists of the organisation, taxation and policing of mining activities that are in tension with official notions of extractive and multicultural law. In exploring such 'underground' cultural politics, the article highlights the limits of state-centric analyses of 'neoliberal multiculturalism' and, accordingly, underscores the instrumental role that governed subjects play in the on-the-ground unfolding of multicultural governance regimes.
Gold mining in south-east Sulawesi Bombana is one of the potential natural resources in Indonesia. But nowadays the condition is due to lack of responsibility of the mining business to conduct post-mining reclamation in Bombana area, even though the mining activity has been carrying out mining business license. Post-mining activities are very important and must be done by the mining company, because it can minimize the destruction of natural environment in the mining site. The purpose of this research is to find out the mining conditions in the Bombana area as well as arrangements related to post-mine reclamation in the Bombana area. This study was written using the normative from data obtained by library research. Then related to the implementation of post-mining reclamation in Bombana is currently not carried out maximally, it is due to the uncertainty of regulations related to the post-mine reclamation obligations and the sanctioned rules that will be applied in the future still depend on local government regulations but the implementation is still not able to work effectively. So the steps that need to be taken in this case to avoid damage to the environment surrounding the mining site is necessary cooperation between the Government, the mining business actors and the community using soil conservation technology such as post-mining reclamation, which is regulated in a clear, transparent, accountable legislation.
Gold mining in south-east Sulawesi Bombana is one of the potential natural resources in Indonesia. But nowadays the condition is due to lack of responsibility of the mining business to conduct post-mining reclamation in Bombana area, even though the mining activity has been carrying out mining business license. Post-mining activities are very important and must be done by the mining company, because it can minimize the destruction of natural environment in the mining site. The purpose of this research is to find out the mining conditions in the Bombana area as well as arrangements related to post-mine reclamation in the Bombana area. This study was written using the normative from data obtained by library research. Then related to the implementation of post-mining reclamation in Bombana is currently not carried out maximally, it is due to the uncertainty of regulations related to the post-mine reclamation obligations and the sanctioned rules that will be applied in the future still depend on local government regulations but the implementation is still not able to work effectively. So the steps that need to be taken in this case to avoid damage to the environment surrounding the mining site is necessary cooperation between the Government, the mining business actors and the community using soil conservation technology such as post-mining reclamation, which is regulated in a clear, transparent, accountable legislation.
In recent decades, Guyana's gold-rich interior has been the location of numerous, mostly low-latent, conflicts. In each case, groups of Afro and Indo-Guyanese originating from the country's coastal cities and towns - popularly referred to as 'Coast Landers' - have clashed with indigenous Amerindians over control of remote parcels of land containing gold deposits. Each appears to have a valid argument in support of its position: the former contend that they are legally entitled to work these lands, having obtained the requisite permits from the central government to mine for gold, whilst the latter maintain that such decisions constitute a breach of their human rights, and draw attention to key legislation in support of their case. This article broadens understanding of the dynamics of these conflicts by reflecting more critically on the arguments presented by both parties. Drawing heavily on research conducted in Mahdia-Campbelltown, one location where frictions between Coast Lander mining groups and Amerindians are particularly serious, it is argued that these disputes are not about control of gold riches as is popularly believed but rather a product of deeply-rooted ethnic tensions between these parties.
We examine the extent to which two of Africa's leading gold mining economies, Ghana and Tanzania, have adopted transformative local procurement policies to enhance backward linkages from the minerals sector. We assess the impact that evolving legislation in the gold industry has had on industrialization and development in each country. South Africa's gold mining investments in Ghana and Tanzania are used to illustrate policy impact and the state-capital relations that shape policy formulation and implementation. We conclude this study with concrete policy recommendations for host country governments and South African policy makers on how to deepen backward linkages emerging out of South African gold mining operations in each country. We propose that this research forms the beginning of in-depth assessments of the impact of South African mining investment on the continent and its potential role in realizing the minerals-based industrialization agenda of Africa's resource-rich economies.
Mercury‐dependent artisanal and small‐scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest source of mercury pollution on Earth. In this practice, elemental mercury is used to extract gold from ore as an amalgam. The amalgam is typically isolated by hand and then heated—often with a torch or over a stove—to distill the mercury and isolate the gold. Mercury release from tailings and vaporized mercury exceed 1000 tonnes each year from ASGM. The health effects on the miners are dire, with inhaled mercury leading to neurological damage and other health issues. The communities near these mines are also affected due to mercury contamination of water and soil and subsequent accumulation in food staples, such as fish—a major source of dietary protein in many ASGM regions. The risks to children are also substantial, with mercury emissions from ASGM resulting in both physical and mental disabilities and compromised development. Between 10 and 19 million people use mercury to mine for gold in more than 70 countries, making mercury pollution from ASGM a global issue. With the Minamata Convention on Mercury entering force this year, there is political motivation to help overcome the problem of mercury in ASGM. In this effort, chemists can play a central role. Here, the problem of mercury in ASGM is reviewed with a discussion on how the chemistry community can contribute solutions. Introducing portable and low‐cost mercury sensors, inexpensive and scalable remediation technologies, novel methods to prevent mercury uptake in fish and food crops, and efficient and easy‐to‐use mercury‐free mining techniques are all ways in which the chemistry community can help. To meet these challenges, it is critical that new technologies or techniques are low‐cost and adaptable to the remote and under‐resourced areas in which ASGM is most common. The problem of mercury pollution in ASGM is inherently a chemistry problem. We therefore encourage the chemistry community to consider and address this issue that affects the health of millions of people.
Unlicensed Gold Mining (Penambangan Emas Tanpa Izin – PETI) is a mining business undertaken by an individual, or a group of people, or a legal entity incorporated in its operation without licenses and government agencies in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. PETI activities that do not follow the correct mining rules, have resulted in environmental damage, waste of mineral resources, and mine accidents. Besides that, PETI not only causes the potential revenue to decrease, but also the state/government must spend enormous funds to repair environmental damage.This research takes place in West Dumoga, Bolaang Mongondow District, North Sulawesi Province which has several points which become the location of unlicensed gold mining (PETI). The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of environmental damage caused by gold mining. Besides, this research will trace the socio-economic impact caused that harm the surrounding community. In accordance with the objectives to be achieved, this research using descriptive qualitative research method. The data was collected by conducting direct observation at the research site by interviewing and distributing questionnaires, and tracking the related documents. The results of this study are expected to provide a comprehensive argument of the phenomenon of PETI in West Dumoga, Bolaang Mongondow District, North Sulawesi Province along with the ecological, economic and social impacts. Furthermore, the results of this study is expected to be a contribution of thought to the Government of Bolaang Mongondow District in policy making and solving problems of PETI. This research is also expected to be a source of reference for related parties and society in general.