Mercury emissions from Peruvian gold shops: Potential ramifications for Minamata compliance in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities

Moody, Keegan H.; Hasan, Kazi M.; Aljic, Sumeja; Blakeman, Victoria M.; Hicks, L. Perry; Loving, Danielle C.; Moore, Matthew E.; Hammett, B. Spencer; Silva-González, Mónica; Seney, Caryn S.; Kiefer, Adam M.

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.109042

Cited by 28 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…If the heating temperatures are low or the heating time is insufficient to evaporate all mercury, for example when it is conducted in a bonfire, the final doré can have as much as 20% mercury (Veiga et al, 2006) [39]. Even a well-burned amalgam still carries 2% to 5% of mercury, which is then usually evaporated in gold shops when the doré is melted, contaminating the operators and neighbors (Moody et al, 2020) [92]. Once the amalgamation process ends, the heavy mass of the amalgam with excess mercury can easily be separated from the rest of the heavy minerals, by panning or using a spiral or an elutriator.…”

Section: Amalgamationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity Concentration in Artisanal Gold Mining

Veiga

Gunson

2020

Minerals

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Worldwide there are over 43 million artisanal miners in virtually all developing countries extracting at least 30 different minerals. Gold, due to its increasing value, is the main mineral extracted by at least half of these miners. The large majority use amalgamation either as the final process to extract gold from gravity concentrates or from the whole ore. This latter method has been causing large losses of mercury to the environment and the most relevant world’s mercury pollution. For years, international agencies and researchers have been promoting gravity concentration methods as a way to eventually avoid the use of mercury or to reduce the mass of material to be amalgamated. This article reviews typical gravity concentration methods used by artisanal miners in developing countries, based on numerous field trips of the authors to more than 35 countries where artisanal gold mining is common.

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Section: Amalgamationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gravity Concentration in Artisanal Gold Mining

Veiga

Gunson

2020

Minerals

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“…It is often considered a chronic toxin, with exposure to concentrations as low as 20,000 ng/m 3 over several years being implicated in damage to the central nervous system [16] . However, during the burning process Hg 0 concentrations often greatly exceed 1,000,000 ng/m 3 and miners have suffered debilitating lung damage and/or died from Hg 0 poisoning [6] , [7] , [8] , [17] , [18] , [19] . In ASGM communities with gold shops, Hg 0 concentrations can change greatly depending on the proximity to the shop and whether or not burning is actively occurring.…”

Section: Health and Safetymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unfortunately, gold shops are often poorly ventilated, and Hg 0 emitted during burning is often vented into the shop and/or onto the street or sidewalk immediately outside of the shop. As a result, gold shops are the major source of Hg 0 pollution in these communities and represent a threat to both human and environmental health [6] , [7] , [8] , [9] , [10] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Under the Convention, nations with significant ASGM activity must develop a National Action Plan specifying Hg pollution reduction targets for this sector, highlighting actions to be taken to eliminate the open burning of amalgams and sponge gold, particularly in residential areas [12] . Identifying gold shops and quantifying their emissions to the environment is problematic; however, utilizing portable spectrometers to map Hg 0 concentrations in these communities has become a viable means of studying the impact these shops have on the surrounding community [8 , [13] , [14] , [15] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, a series of training programs and environmental assessments in Peru [8] have allowed for the formalization of a mapping technique that can be used to map ASGM communities over multiple days. This screening technique plots the maximum Hg 0 concentration determined during the monitoring period at each unique set of geographical coordinates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Method for mapping Hg0 emissions from gold shops in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities

Brown¹,

Hasan²,

Moody³

et al. 2020

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Gold shops in artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities represent major point sources of airborne mercury pollution. Concentrations of elemental mercury (Hg 0 ) emitted by these shops can be determined using a portable atomic absorbance spectrometer (AAS) with Zeeman correction. These measured Hg 0 concentrations can then be correlated to position as determined by a hand-held GPS unit, and the resulting data mapped using a Geographic Information System (GIS). A detailed method for obtaining and analyzing data collected near gold shops in Mazuko, Peru is provided. Maps generated using this method were employed to identify point sources of Hg 0 contamination originating from gold shops in ASGM communities and were shared with local city managers to assist in urban planning. A detailed method is provided to collect and process data, ultimately generating a map that allows for the screening of a community to identify point sources of Hg 0 contamination. Raw data is provided, as well as a video detailing data processing and mapping using a common spreadsheet program and an open-source GIS. The generated map can be used for determining areas where people may be exposed to elevated Hg 0 concentrations and/or occupational mercury vapor exposure, targeted enforcement, or outreach to limit Hg 0 pollution.

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