Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012 1 ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA: FINDING A WAY FORWARD PROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT By Prof. Kim HEIN University

Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 20121

ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA:FINDING A WAY FORWARD

PROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT

By Prof. Kim HEIN

University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg

Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 20122© – Not for duplication or circulation without permission

Artisanal mining

An artisanal miner or small-scale miner is, in effect, a subsistence miner. They are not officially employed by a mining company, but rather work independently, mining or panning for gold using their own resources. Small-scale mining includes enterprises or individuals that employ workersfor mining, but generally working with hand tools

An estimated 13 - 20 million men, women, and children from over50 developing countries are directly engaged in the artisanal mining sector

Globally, artisanal mining contributes up to 12% or 330 tonnes of annualgold production


Over two and a half million men, women, and children in more than 25 Africancountries are artisanal and small-scaleminers.

ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA


An example: Artisanal production of gold in Niger, 2004-2011

Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Production (kg) 921 1961 1091 960 146 215 322 500 Value (in millions CFA) 5441 14643 9795 8248 1601 2322 6118 9500

Data on artisanal mining of gold are mostly underestimated due to:- Authorized buyers of gold and owners of gold mining claims provide data on extracted gold on entirely voluntary basis,- Gold production is not systematically controlled by the state,- Significant proportion of gold is sold on black market.


Artisanal gold mining in African countries is regulated and subject to numerous laws and directives

All African countries declare a state monopoly on purchase of gold In most of African countries it is forbidden by law to use in artisanal

mining the following:- application of chemical agents,- extraction of gold from depths exceeding 30 - 40 m,- driving of horizontal mine workings,- application of explosives,- extraction of gold during the rainy season.

BUT: Relevant laws and regulations are mostly inconsistently

implemented and systematic monitoring of compliance with the legislation is lacking


What problems are generated by artisanal mining?


Efflorences of salts (hexahydrite, anhydrite) on the surface of contaminated stream sediments.

Siltation of stream sediments after artisanal mining

Impacts of artisanal mining on the environment include:- billions of tons of waste,- thousands of abandoned mine workings,- reduction of biodiversity,- contamination of soils and stream sediments, of surface and ground waters.

Tagounga artisanal mining site, Niger


Health hazards: The use of cyanide compounds

Poura region, Burkina Faso

Cyanide is bought by miners involved in small-scale gold mining and largely used for gold leaching (gold cyanidation)


Health hazards: Use of mercury, gold amalgamation

Toxic vapors of mercury are released duringburning of the amalgam. About 80% of mercuryare easily absorbed via respiratory tract causing mercury poisoning. High concentrationsof mercury were detected in breast milkof women living in artisanal communities.

Mercury in breast milk, artisanal communities,Tanzania and Zimbabwe, median level 1.87 μg/l, up to 149 μg/lUS EPA "Reference Dose" :0.3 μg Hg/kg body weight/day


Mining:Mineral deposits rich in gold are developed by underground mining to depths reaching max. 90 m. Drift mining is also common. Many accidents and injuries are reported during mining operations

Yanfolila gold district, Mali

Yanfolila gold district, Mali


Mineral processing:Gold recovery during the ore treatment is mostly poor. Dry panning and sluicing show particularly poor recovery of gold

Inata gold deposit, Burkina Faso

Yanfolila gold prospect, Mali


Social problems connected with artisanal mining:

- high crime rate,

- contagious diseases,

- venereal diseases,

- drug addiction,alcoholism,

- low level of communal

hygiene


Poura region, Burkina Faso

Another problem involves women andchild labor particularly in placer goldmining

Foulga Alga Orpaillage, Burkina Faso


Artisanal mining often coincides with large-scale exploration and mining A significant issue in artisanal and small-scale arises when larger mining companies gain rights to develop deposits that are currently worked by artisanal minings.

Relocation or resettlement of artisanal miners and their communities appears to be one of the major problems for mining companies to cope with.


AMIRA-WAXI PROJECT: ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA:

FINDING A WAY FORWARDPROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT

by

Prof. Kim HEIN

University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg


Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forwardResearch currently available

• World Bank reports (1995; 2005)

• IIED MMSD Report No 70 (2002)

• Amnesty International report (2006)

• UN, UNDP, UNESCA, UNIDO, UNSCouncil reports (1996; 2002; 2003; 2005).

• CASM (Communities and small-scale mining group, Africa) reports

• Researchers: Gyan-Balfour (1997), Hilson (2003), Banchirigah (2006), Hilson & Pardie (2006), Shen & Gunson (2006), Maconachie & Binns (2007), Yakovleva (2007) & others

• Numerous newspaper articles on artisanal mining in Sub-Sahara Africa

• IGCP/SIDA projects No. 594 and 606

• Works of many, many more groups & individuals


Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward

• Many studies are couched in social anthropology which is not useful for understanding mining practice, extraction technologies, metallurgy & ore dressing, small scale mine planning (if any), or for long term ASM sites, tenure, parcel allocation & organisation over time

• A large part of our knowledge about ASM practices is from oral tradition => QUALITATIVE & SUBJECTIVE.

RESULT?• Emotive response with little intervention in a way that suits the key

stakeholders. We don’t manage to get government & the ASM community on-board.

What is lacking in existing research



AIMTo build on existing work & new research to develop a practical framework to enhance exploration, development & beneficiation of Africa’s small scale

mineral resources, whilst delivering EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL improvements.

OUTPUTINNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT TOOLS & POLICIES when dealing with ASM in Africa & providing all stakeholders with best practice guidelines on how to deal with the issues in an environment of mutual respect & trust.


Module 1 Review of previous research & learnings from industry practices

Module 2Geosciences

Relationship between geology & practice at ASM sitesMapping of ASM sitesEnvironmental impact of an ASM site

Module 3Mining & Metallurgy

Metallurgy & Ore Dressing processesASM modelling (if it existing)In-migration mining

Module 4Social – Anthropology

Social organization of artisanal mining sitesChild labourWomen & ASMHistory & Archaeology of ASM

Module 5Business Strategies

Trading & marketsSupply chains ASM management business models

Module 6Legal aspects

Provide evidence-based information to permit governments to formulate policies to regulate ASM Understand the role of national governments, local government, civil societies & ASM communities


Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forward forward

• West Africa• Central Africa• Southern Africa

• AFRICA MINING VISION• AFRICA DEVELOPMENT BANK• UN• EU COMMISION FOR AFRICA

Proposed study areas & key links


Artisanal Mining in Africa: finding a way forwardCollaborators

University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg under the Mining Institute

•School of Geology (SOG)•School Mining Engineering (SOM)•School of Chemistry & Metallurgy •Centre for Sustainability in Mining (CSMI)•Wits School of Business

Universiteit Leiden (Cultural Anthropology/Development Sociology)Geological Surveys in Niger, Senegal & MaliCouncil of Geosciences in South AfricaCommunity of Artisanal Miners (CASM)

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Annual Sponsors Meeting, Dakar 2-4 May 2012 1 ARTISANAL MINING IN AFRICA: FINDING A WAY FORWARD PROPOSAL FOR A 3 YEAR PROJECT By Prof. Kim HEIN University