(3 Minutes Read)
Many women in the mining sector have been exposed to the negative effects of using mercury to detect gold ores, which was outlawed under the Miamata Agreement of 2013.
Ugandan gold miners are searching for mercury-free technologies to ward off the sinister after-effects of exposure to mercury poisoning. There are more than 31,000 artisanal gold miners in Uganda, with a huge percentage of them women. Their organization is working in collaboration with Planet Gold Uganda and Global Rights Alert, towards getting access to mercury-free technologies that do not expose them to mercury poisoning.
The partnership was announced recently during celebrations of the International Day of Women in Mining. Many women in the mining sector have been exposed to the negative effects of using mercury to detect gold ores, which was outlawed under the Miamata Agreement of 2013.
Lynn Gitu, the Program leader at Planet Gold Uganda, said the alternative gold mining technologies that don’t use mercury are going to be supplied to areas that are known for mining huge deposits of gold, and where mercury is used for gold mining in large volumes like Busia, Mubende, Buhweju and Karamoja. Mercury is used for operations in gold mining such as gravity concentration, sluicing and shaking tables. Borax, which has a short shelf life and is less harmful to people and the environment is also used in crude gold mining.
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Gitu said that the alternative mercury-free technology that is being promoted is affordable to the miners. Also, the savings and credit and cooperative organizations that they have formed will help them purchase these technologies. The mercury-free technologies that will be scaled out by Planet Gold to Busia, Mubende and Buhweju districts are affordable, and cost between Shs 3 million and Shs 15 million.
