Review: Artisanal Gold Mining in Africa—Environmental Pollution and Human Health Implications

Abstract

About nine million Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) workers in Africa and people living near ASGM activities are highly exposed to geogenic and anthropogenic potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Despite the hazards and risks posed by ASGM being well characterized, coordinated multidisciplinary environmental characterization with combined public health studies are limited, with often piecemeal and snapshot studies reported, as highlighted by this review. Furthermore, studies are often not connected with efforts to minimize hazards holistically. Given this, we systematically reviewed the scientific literature on human health hazards associated with ASGM in Africa through Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Pubmed databases. One hundred and seventy-three peer-reviewed papers published between 1996 and June 2023 from 30 African countries were identified. Toxicological environmental hazards were reported in 102 peer-reviewed papers, notably As, Cd, CN, Cr, Hg, Pb, respirable SiO2-laden dust, and radionuclides. Exposure to PTEs in human biomonitoring matrices and associated health impacts were documented in 71 papers. Hg was the most reported hazard. Gaps in research robustness, regulation and policy framework, technology, risk detection, surveillance, and management were found. Despite international and in-country mitigation efforts, ASGM-related hazards in Africa are worsening. This review paper highlights the need for coordinated action and multidisciplinary collaborative research to connect dispersed isolated studies to better characterize the associated disease burden associated with ASGM in Africa and sustainably maximize the wider benefits of ASGM whilst protecting public health and the environment.

Field method for preservation of total mercury in waters, including those associated with artisanal scale gold mining

“…Across the Kakamega gold belt formerly in Kakamega district but currently falling within Kakamega and Vihiga counties, ASGM sites are present and active, polluting local rivers and streams with mine waste such as Hg, which confers health risks to the miners and surrounding community. 12,13 The river and stream water is relied upon by the local population for watering livestock, drinking water, irrigation for agriculture, aquaculture, and domestic uses such as cleaning and laundry. Therefore, mine sites in this area were considered to be good test sites for this study to assess the deployment of the developed method under eld conditions.…”

“…8,9 This practice occurs globally and has been routinely investigated over the past 20 years. [10][11][12][13] Across over 40 African countries, approximately 10 million people work in ASGM sites 14 and are potentially exposed to large quantities of potentially harmful elements, including Hg. In a review of ASGM across Africa 14 concentrations of Hg in waters (rivers, drinking water sources, and ore washing ponds) ranged from 0.01 to 8040 mg L −1 Hg, with two-thirds of studies (18 out of 27) reporting Hg water concentrations above the 0.77 mg L −1 Hg chronic exposure limit.…”