Every year up to 15 million artisanal and small-scale gold miners are exposed to toxic mercury fumes. Around one third of these miners are women and children.
Exposure to mercury by inhalation damages the nervous, digestive, and immune systems. It can also contaminate bodies of water where it can be transformed into methyl-mercury and subsequently accumulate in fish and shellfish. When ingested, methyl-mercury can cause serious damage to the nervous system.
Despite the dangers mercury poses to human health, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) remains an important source of livelihood for millions of miners in developing countries who have few other income-generating alternatives. However, the rights and health of children engaged in and affected by artisanal gold mining are an issue of growing international concern. The International Labour Organization estimates that about one million children aged five to 17 are engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining, including gold mining.
Researchers working with children in artisanal gold mining communities have found associations between mercury levels and poor leg coordination, decreased performance on visuospatial organization tests, and reduction in motor function, attention, visual contrast sensitivity and manual dexterity.
At the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which took place in Geneva last week, artisanal gold mining was treated as an issue of major concern. Many ministers promised to do more to bring these activities into the formal economy. Such a move would encourage practices that use alternatives to mercury that minimize environmental and social impacts. With the right policies and market incentives, many Member States expressed confidence that mercury use could be removed from artisanal gold mining, and that the health of miners could be protected.
"The first Minamata COP has been an important moment in global efforts to combat the menace of mercury pollution," said Naoko Ishii, Head of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). "At the same time, with partners like UN Environment and the active engagement of countries like Guyana, we're making great strides at the local level to improve practices in the artisanal gold mining sector," she said.
Through the Global Opportunities for Long-term Development (GEF GOLD) programme, the GEF will provide funds to eight countries with a sizable gold mining sector, and where many artisanal miners still rely on mercury for gold extraction. The funding amounts to $45.2 million and will be managed by implementing agencies, including UN Environment, to support policies and market incentives that favour gold that uses less or no mercury in its extraction.
UN Environment also works with countries where artisanal gold mining is practiced to promote mercury-free methods, raise awareness of the health and environmental impacts of mercury, and ensure that environment and development goals are complimentary. In addition, the UN Environment Global Mercury Partnership serves as a hub for information, best practices, and data on technical, social, gender, and labour aspects of artisanal gold mining. In this way UN Environment and the Global Mercury Partnership are assisting governments, communities, and miners to reduce mercury use in ASGM while maintaining livelihoods.
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About the Global Mercury Partnership
The overall goal of the UN Environment Global Mercury Partnership is to protect human health and the global environment from the release of mercury and its compounds by minimizing and, where feasible, ultimately eliminating global, anthropogenic mercury releases to air, water and land. The Partnership works closely with stakeholders to assist in the timely ratification and effective implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
Governments initiated partnership activities at Governing Council 23 and have subsequently strengthened the role of partnerships to effectively manage mercury activities. Governing Council 25/5 specified the UN Environment Global Mercury Partnership as one of the main mechanisms for the delivery of immediate actions on mercury during the negotiation of the global mercury convention.
The Partnership currently has eight priorities for action – or partnership areas – that reflect the major sources of mercury releases. The Overarching Framework of the UN Environment Global Mercury Partnership establishes a Partnership Advisory Group to encourage the work of the partnership areas.
For more information please contact Kenneth.Davis[at]unep.org or visit the website of the Global Mercury Partnership.
