ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA: FINDING A WAY FORWARD

1. ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA:FINDING A WAY FORWARD PROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT ByProf. Kim HEIN University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg

2. Artisanal mining An artisanal miner or small-scale miner is, in effect, a subsistence miner. They are not officially employed by a mining company, but rather work independently, mining or panning for gold using their own resources. Small-scale mining includes enterprises or individuals that employ workers for mining, but generally working with hand tools An estimated 13 - 20 million men, women, and children from over 50 developing countries are directly engaged in the artisanal mining sector Globally, artisanal mining contributes up to 12% or 330 tonnes of annual gold production © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

3. ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA Over two and a half million men, women, and children in more than 25 African countries are artisanal and small-scale miners. 3 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

4. An example: Artisanal production of gold in Niger, 2004-2011 • Data on artisanal mining of gold are mostly underestimated due to: • Authorized buyers of gold and owners of gold mining • claims provide data on extracted gold on entirely voluntary • basis, • Gold production is not systematically controlled by the • state, • - Significant proportion of gold is sold on black market. 4 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

5. Artisanal gold mining in African countries is regulated and subject to numerous laws and directives All African countries declare a state monopoly on purchase of gold In most of African countries it is forbidden by law to use in artisanal mining the following: - application of chemical agents, - extraction of gold from depths exceeding 30 - 40 m, - driving of horizontal mine workings, - application of explosives, - extraction of gold during the rainy season. BUT: Relevant laws and regulations are mostly inconsistentlyimplemented and systematic monitoring of compliance with the legislation is lacking

6. What problems are generated by artisanal mining? 6

7. Impacts of artisanal mining on the environment include: • - billions of tons of waste, • - thousands of abandoned mine workings, • - reduction of biodiversity, • contamination of soils and stream • sediments, of surface and ground waters. Siltation of stream sediments after artisanal mining Efflorences of salts (hexahydrite, anhydrite) on the surface of contaminated stream sediments. Tagounga artisanal mining site, Niger 7 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

8. Health hazards: The use of cyanide compounds Cyanide is bought by miners involved in small-scale gold mining and largely used for gold leaching (gold cyanidation) Poura region, Burkina Faso © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

9. Health hazards: Use of mercury, gold amalgamation Toxic vapors of mercury are released during burning of the amalgam. About 80% of mercury are easily absorbed via respiratory tract causing mercury poisoning. High concentrations of mercury were detected in breast milk of women living in artisanal communities. Mercury in breast milk, artisanal communities,Tanzania and Zimbabwe, median level 1.87 μg/l, up to 149 μg/lUS EPA "Reference Dose" :0.3 μg Hg/kg body weight/day © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

10. Mining: Mineral deposits rich in gold are developed by underground mining to depths reaching max. 90 m. Drift mining is also common. Many accidents and injuries are reported during mining operations Yanfolila gold district, Mali © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission Yanfolila gold district, Mali

11. Mineral processing: Gold recovery during the ore treatment is mostly poor. Dry panning and sluicing show particularly poor recovery of gold Yanfolila gold prospect,Mali Inata gold deposit, Burkina Faso 11 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

12. Social problems connected with artisanal mining: - high crime rate, - contagious diseases, - venereal diseases, - drug addiction,alcoholism, - low level of communal hygiene 12 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

13. Foulga Alga Orpaillage, Burkina Faso Another problem involves women and child labor particularly in placer gold mining Poura region, Burkina Faso 13 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

14. Artisanal mining often coincides with large-scale exploration and mining A significant issue in artisanal and small-scale arises when larger mining companies gain rights to develop deposits that are currently worked by artisanal minings. Relocation or resettlement of artisanal miners and their communities appears to be one of the major problems for mining companies to cope with. © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

15. AMIRA-WAXI PROJECT: ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA:FINDING A WAY FORWARD PROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT by Prof. Kim HEIN University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

16. Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward Research currently available • World Bank reports (1995; 2005) • IIED MMSD Report No 70 (2002) • Amnesty International report (2006) • UN, UNDP, UNESCA, UNIDO, UNSCouncil reports (1996; 2002; 2003; 2005). • CASM (Communities and small-scale mining group, Africa) reports • Researchers: Gyan-Balfour (1997), Hilson (2003), Banchirigah (2006), Hilson & Pardie (2006), Shen & Gunson (2006), Maconachie & Binns (2007), Yakovleva (2007) & others • Numerous newspaper articles on artisanal mining in Sub-Sahara Africa • IGCP/SIDA projects No. 594 and 606 • Works of many, many more groups & individuals © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

17. Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward What is lacking in existing research • Many studies are couched in social anthropology which is not useful for understanding mining practice, extraction technologies, metallurgy & ore dressing, small scale mine planning (if any), or for long term ASM sites, tenure, parcel allocation & organisation over time • A large part of our knowledge about ASM practices is from oral tradition => QUALITATIVE & SUBJECTIVE. • RESULT? • Emotive response with little intervention in a way that suits the key stakeholders. We don’t manage to get government & the ASM community on-board. © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

18. Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward AIM To build on existing work & new research to develop a practical framework to enhance exploration, development & beneficiation of Africa’s small scale mineral resources, whilst delivering EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL improvements. OUTPUT INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT TOOLS & POLICIES when dealing with ASM in Africa & providing all stakeholders with best practice guidelines on how to deal with the issues in an environment of mutual respect & trust. © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

20. Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward forward Proposed study areas & key links • West Africa • Central Africa • Southern Africa • AFRICA MINING VISION • AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK • UN • EU COMMISION FOR AFRICA © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

21. Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward Collaborators • University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg under the Mining Institute • School of Geology (SOG) • School Mining Engineering (SOM) • School of Chemistry & Metallurgy • Centre for Sustainability in Mining (CSMI) • Wits School of Business • Universiteit Leiden (Cultural Anthropology/Development Sociology) • Geological Surveys in Niger, Senegal & Mali • Council of Geosciences in South Africa • Community of Artisanal Miners (CASM) • INDUSTRY SPONSORS ? 21 © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

22. Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward You are invited to join us © – Not for duplication or circulation without permission