ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA:
FINDING A WAY FORWARD
PROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT
By Prof. Kim HEIN
University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg
Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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.
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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An example: Artisanal production of
gold in Niger, 2004-2011
Year
Production (kg)
Value (in millions CFA)
2004 2005 2006 2007
921 1961 1091 960
5441 14643 9795 8248
2008
146
1601
2009
215
2322
2010
322
6118
2011
500
9500
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.
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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 inconsistently
implemented and systematic monitoring of compliance with
the legislation is lacking
Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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What problems are generated by artisanal mining?
Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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.
Tagounga artisanal mining site, Niger
Siltation of stream
sediments after artisanal
mining
Efflorences of salts (hexahydrite,
anhydrite) on the surface of
contaminated stream sediments.
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Yanfolila gold district, Mali Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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Social problems connected with artisanal mining:
- high crime rate,
- contagious diseases,
- venereal diseases,
- drug addiction,alcoholism,
- low level of communal
hygiene
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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Foulga Alga Orpaillage, Burkina Faso
Another problem involves women and
child labor particularly in placer gold
Poura region, Burkina Faso mining
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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.
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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.
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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.
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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Module 1
Review of previous research & learnings from industry practices
Module 2
Geosciences
Relationship between geology & practice at ASM sites
Mapping of ASM sites
Environmental impact of an ASM site
Module 3
Mining & Metallurgy
Metallurgy & Ore Dressing processes
ASM modelling (if it existing)
In-migration mining
Module 4
Social – Anthropology
Social organization of artisanal mining sites
Child labour
Women & ASM
History & Archaeology of ASM
Module 5
Business Strategies
Trading & markets
Supply chains
ASM management business models
Module 6
Legal aspects
Provide evidence-based information to permit governments to formulate policies to
regulate ASM
Understand the role of national governments, local government, civil societies & ASM
communities
Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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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 ?
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward
You are invited to join us
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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012
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