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Stakeholders team up to fight mercury use in artisanal gold mines
Minister for of Energy and Mineral Development, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, (Centre) with other stake holders in the Extractives Industry during a meeting in Kampala on November 24. Photo/Kevin Githuku
What you need to know:
- Speaking to stakeholders during the meeting yesterday, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, noted with concern the health hazards affiliated to mercury use and called for total eradication of the heavy metal in artisanal mining, further stressing the need for alternative solutions which require extensive government support.
Activists and partners in the mining and extractives industry have teamed up to eliminate mercury from artisanal and small scale gold mines in the country.
Stake holders led by PlanetGOLD Uganda project which held its Annual Stakeholders' Meeting in Kampala on November 24 addressed critical environmental and social challenges faced by artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities in the country. As part of the global planetGOLD programme implemented in 23 countries, the Uganda project focuses on reducing mercury use while enhancing the well-being of local mining communities.
Speaking to stakeholders during the meeting yesterday, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, noted with concern the health hazards affiliated to mercury use and called for total eradication of the heavy metal in artisanal mining, further stressing the need for alternative solutions which require extensive government support.
“Whenever you bring a policy shift, you must make sure you have created an alternative. We have seen what other countries like Guyana have done to eliminate this problem. The mineral sector needs to be helped to get such equipment,” Nankabirwa said.
Ms Lynn Gitu, the Programme Leader and Project Manager at PlanetGOLD Uganda, explained what the project seeks to achieve in the extractives sector.
“We want to achieve four main objectives. We want to support the formalization of the artisanal gold mining sector, improve access to finance, and promote the adoption of mercury-free technologies. We also want to change the narrative on perceptions towards artisanal miners,” Ms Gitu said.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining presents significant economic opportunities for rural populations, contributing to about 20 percent of global gold production.
In Uganda, artisanal gold mining accounts for more than 90 percent of the country's gold production, with over 7 tons mined annually.
However, the extensive use of mercury—despite regulatory restrictions—poses environmental and health challenges, releasing more than 15 tons of mercury each year.
The Police Minerals Protection Unit established through the Police Act and Mining Act are mandated to oversee and regulate how mining is done.
