Artisanal miners call for ban on hazardous mercury use

SMALL-scale gold miners, processors and licence holders in Nzega District, Tabora Region, have expressed serious concerns about the use of mercury in mining operations.

They are urging the government, after an awareness campaign over the weekend at Mkwajuni Sub-village, Lusu Ward, to implement a ban on mercury due to its detrimental effects on health and the environment.

The Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA) from the central zone told the artisanal miners that mercury is classified by the World Health Organisation as one of the top ten chemicals harmful to human health and the environment.

However, Aboubakar Nuru, a miner, said there was a need to find and promote safer chemical alternatives to protect miners and surrounding communities from the harmful effects of mercury.

Also, Salum Ngozani said there are significant challenges in transitioning away from mercury, which is easier to conceal and use in small quantities compared to alternatives like sodium cyanide, which requires bulk packaging and carries risks of theft.

“However, some miners lack the means to afford or secure these alternative chemicals,” he said. “In our mines, we have individuals, often referred to as ‘monkeys,’ who cannot resist using mercury and may resort to theft. How can we protect these alternatives?”

Tanzania has ratified the Minamata Convention on mercury and has introduced regulations to limit its use, many artisanal miners still rely on mercury due to the lack of affordable and accessible alternatives.

GCLA Central Zone Manager, Gerald Meliyo, said the country plans to eliminate mercury from the market entirely within a few years.

“To protect miners’ health, we’re urging them to wear protective gear, as mercury exposure can damage the lungs and brain and cause tremors that interfere with daily tasks,” Meliyo, who is responsible for Dodoma, Iringa, Singida, Tabora and Morogoro, said.

Additionally, GCLA encouraged miners to form groups to enable them access the safer alternative of sodium cyanide, which poses fewer health and environmental risks.

Tabora Region Small Miners Association (TABOREMA), Nzega Chairman, Joseph Mabondo, said that some miners have already abandoned mercury for safer alternatives, but more education is needed to support this transition.

“We also encourage miners to build containment ponds to prevent wastewater from contaminating the environment and impacting health,” Mr Mabondo, who is also national delegate for FEMATA, said.

Tabora Regional Mining Officer Fatuma Kyando said that safeguarding miners’ health is essential for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour while remaining safe.