Ingles Final PDF

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INSTITUTO SUPERIOR POLITÉCNICO DE TETE

DIVISÃO DE MINAS

ENGENHARIA DE PROCESSAMENTO MINERAL

3º ANO

TETE, 2015


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D’clay Mário Eva Juta

A CASE STUDY:

TO FIND OUT IF MINERS IN FENDA ARE USINING

MERCURY ACCORDING TO DE INTERNETIONAL

PROCEDURE OF MERCURY USAGE

Teacher: Msc. Raisi Dominic

.

TETE, 2015


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Index

1. TOPIC: .......................................................................................................................................... 4

2. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 4

2.1. Background ............................................................................................................................ 42.1.1. Mercury usage ................................................................................................................ 5

2.1.2. Current situation ............................................................................................................. 5

3. Aims and Objective .................................................................................................................. 5

3.1. Aim ..................................................................................................................................... 5

3.2. Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 5

4. Research questions.................................................................................................................... 5

5. Justification ............................................................................................................................... 6

6. Definition of Terms .................................................................................................................. 67. Timeline..................................................................................................................................... 7

Chapter II .............................................................................................................................................. 8

8. Literature review ....................................................................................................................... 8

Chapter III ........................................................................................................................................... 10

9. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 10

9.1. Sample .................................................................................................................................. 10

9.2. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 10

9.3. Data collection Tools........................................................................................................... 10

10. Chapter IV .................................................................................................................................... 11

10.1. Data presentation .................................................................................................................. 11

10.2. Analyzing data ...................................................................................................................... 15

Use of mercury:.................................................................................................................... 15

Knowledge of retort ............................................................................................................. 15

Training ................................................................................................................................ 15

10.3. Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 16

Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 18

Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................... 19

QUESTIONNAIRE............................................................................................................................ 20


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ISPT 4

1. TOPIC:

Find out if the Artisanal Miners in Fenda – Manica is using mercury according to

the international standards of mercury usage, in the season of September – November 2015

2. INTRODUCTION

2.1.Background

The fist people on this earth were nomads who travelled the world and colonized it.

They established villages and over time as their life became more settled they began to

cultivate the land and engage in other productive activities. In the course of their travels

through different lands these men and woman discovered minerals that they used initially

in very basic ways, perhaps for ceremonial purpose only, but eventually other uses were

found that led to more widespread exploitation of mineral resources. Mining and metal-

working operations serving the needs of the local community grew to become large-scale

industry supplying the world beyond the local community.

Nowadays the extraction of mineral resources has become a global industry that

has brought considerable benefits, including employment, to poor isolated areas where

there is no other form of industrial activity. There are many people who earn a living

from artisanal and small-scale mining, usually with the help of their entire family. The

sector has become a major source of jobs and development opportunities.

Artisanal mining is an activity that is more than just a source of employment, its

basics of whole way of life (B.Owen, 2008), it is a generic term that means different

things to different people, countries or organizations. In an African perspective, the

artisanal and small-scale mining was defined by Dreschler (2001) as operation carried out

by individuals organized into Group (four to eight individuals) or cooperative of 10 or

more individuals, which entirely financed by limited resources and carried out the entire

time, using simple traditional techniques and instruments with low level of

mechanization.


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ISPT 5

2.1.1. Mercury usage

Mercury is a chemical element (Hg) most used by artisanal miners, to separate and

collect the gold from the rocks in which it is found. It is used to form an amalgam by

binding a gold, which helps to separate from rock, sand or other material. The amalgam is

then heated to vaporize the mercury leaving the gold behind.

2.1.2. Current situation

In general, Artisanal Miners in Fenda – Manica use mercury in their process, to separate

and collect the gold from rocks in which it is found. Most of them are unaware of its

danger.

3.

Aims and Objective

3.1.Aim

The single of this research is the following:

Discovery the way that the miners in Fenda - Manica use mercury in their

activities;

3.2.Objectives

Evaluate and Compare the way that the miners use mercury in their processes;

Find out why they a keeping using it in their process;

Find out the warm caused by mercury usage;

4. Research questions

Do the miners in “Fenda” use properly Mercury in their processes?

Why they are using mercury or are not using mercury in their processes?


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ISPT 6

5. Justification

The choice of this topic was based on the actual situation of artisanal mining in Manica.

‘’One of the major environmental problems associated with the Artisanal Mining is the

usage of mercury, which never disappears from the natural environment (...)’’ (B.Owen,

2008). By studding this topic we’ll going to, not only find how they use it, but also to

improve their techniques if it’s necessary.

6. Definition of Terms

Amalgamation – is a concentration process in which gold is mixed with mercury;

Amalgam – is a product result of amalgamation;

Concentrate - is the substance that is left when water is taken out of the solution;

Dangerous – things that can be unsafe or poisonous;

Ore – rocks that have minerals in them;

Mercury – chemical compound used to concentrate gold;

AMASUC – Association of Artisanal Miner Procedures of Central and Southern in Peru.

Processing – The way of taking minerals out of ore;Research – study, learn about and watch;

Scale – Size;

Technology – equipment and way of doing things.


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ISPT 7

7. Timeline

Au.18-Au.25 Au.28 – 6Sept. 7Sept.-14Sept. 19Sept-26Sept.

ChapterI

Topic

Introduction

Aims/objectives

R.Questions

Justification

Def. of terms

Time line

Chapter IILit.Review

Procedures

Chapter III

Introduction

Sample

Methodology

5oct. - 15oct. 20 oct. - 28 oct. 29oct. - 30 oct. 5 nov- 15 nov.

ChapterIV

Dat.Presentation

Data analyze

Descussion

Chapter V Conclusion


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ISPT 8

Chapter II

8. Literature review

One of the major environmental problems associated with ASM is the use of mercury,

which never disappears from the natural environment; instead, it accumulates in living

organisms, eventually causing illness and even genetic mutation. Mercury is not a sudden

killer, like cyanide, it kills slowly and that is why miners need to be unaware of the

problem and regard it as being harmless. (B.Owen 2008). The miners must aim to

improve gold recovery processes and eventually eliminate the use of mercury entirely,

but they are important changes (Procedures by AMASUC) that need to be made to reduce

the amount of mercury released into nature;

Whole ore amalgamation is unacceptable. The ore should be concentrated first

and only then should mercury be added to the concentrate. This way not only do

we save mercury but also ensure that there is a drastic reduction in the amount of

mercury lost into the natural environment.

The miners need to establish a closed circuit system and always use retort to

recover the mercury vapor liberated when we heat the amalgamated gold. In this

way we prevent mercury from being released into the air and eventually getting

into people, water or the soil. Use of the retort will be mandatory for fair trade

certification.

Amalgam burning must be carried out using appropriate containment facilities,

proper equipment and trained personnel, in conditions of isolation and security. It

must not be done within the home or near domestic residences;

A retort is essentially a bowl or other vessel inverted over the burning amalgam in which

the mercury vapour is trapped and condensed. The United Nations Industrial

Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Global Mercury Project field assessments f ound

that effective retorts could be made cheaply (for as little as $3.20 US, in some cases) and

that they could retain mercury vapour so that over 95% of the mercury is recycled and

can be re-used. This practice reduces exposure hazards and saves money. There are many

types of retorts. Some are made of stainless steel, while others are made of inexpensive

galvanized steel. The retorting efficiency depends on the type of connections or clamps


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ISPT 9

used. Homemade retorts can also be made of steel tins or kitchen bowls (stainless steel or

enamel bowls). Mercury also known, as quicksilver is an element found in nature in

various forms. It is released into the environment through natural processes such as

volcanic eruptions, the weathering of rocks, and forest fires. Mercury is also released

through human activities and industrial processes.

In other countries like Madagascar, de ASM are pretending to eliminate the use of

mercury, because of it’s harms, and they suggest that “ The use of mercury can be

eliminated or substantially reduced in ASGM. The United Nations Environment

Programme has made the following recommendations:

Practices such as whole ore amalgamation, open burning of amalgam without

vapor capture systems or retort, and reprocessing of mercury-contaminated

tailings with cyanide, should be discontinued to reduce mercury exposure and

emissions.

Alternatives, such as “gravity only”, direct smelting and safe chemical leaching,

could be employed in the ASGM industry to reduce or eliminate mercury

exposure and emissions.” ASM Madagascar.


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ISPT 10

Chapter III

9. Introduction

On this chapter there are presented the sample and the methodology that has been used

during this research;

9.1.Sample

This work has been done taking the rule of a sampling, and it was selected 10% of total

population, the selection was roundly, and all the miners has the same chance to get parte

on the research. The choice was 10% based on the real situation

9.2.Methodology

The research is assembled on qualitative data collection and supported with a

questionnaire, observation and at other case with a face-to-face interview.

Qualitative data collection because has on the topic this research should be

basically on searching and try to understand the way that the miners in Fenda use

mercury, so the information collected should be more describing than number.

9.3.Data collection Tools

For the data collection were used questionnaire that have been submitted and answered

buy the miners working in Fenda, according to the sampling choice;

The questionnaire was used because of the advantages that it gives of not taking so long

to collect data, and because it was easy for the miners just to answer it, in order to lost

their time with an interview example.


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ISPT 11

10. Chapter IV

10.1. Data presentation

The data that has been collected during the research, were quantitative and qualitative

data, the first one are presented by graphs, charts and pies, and the qualitative data are

presented by description (the answer given by the respondent, grouping the base idea);

according to that the data are presented bellow:

1. Do you use mercury in your activities of gold concentration

2. Why do you use mercury in concentration of gold?

Many of the respondents have the same idea that says that they “use mercury to

concentrate gold, because it concentrate gold a lot and it is more efficient” other said that

because it is cheap and easy to find.

0

1

2

3

45

6

yes no sometimes

N u m b e r o f p e o p

l e

Options

sometimes

no

yes


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ISPT 12

3. Do you concentrate gold before use mercury?

4. How do you heat the amalgam?

In this question the respondent tend to says that they only burn it on paper and burn it

until the mercury evaporate; as this answer “ I only put on cigarette paper and burn i t

unti l the mercury evaporate ”; and by other side, the miners use retort to heat and

recovery the mercury for use it again in the same process; as the answer “use retort to

heat the amalgam ”.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

yes No At times

Yes

No

At times


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ISPT 13

5. Do you know what is retort

6. Do you use retort in your process?

Knowloge of retort

Yes

No

50%

20%

30%

Yes No Sometimes


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ISPT 14

7. Have you been trained to use retort

8. Do you know about the mercury risk?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

training

train

Never

Yes, More than one time

Yes, Once a yerar

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

yes

no

I am not sure


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ISPT 15

9. Why do you not use mercury in our activities of gold concentration?

The miners that answered this question give a meaning that they don’t use it because

it is expensive, and they don’t have money to buy it.

10. How do you concentrate gold?

The miners that answered this question give a idea that they use alternative methods

of gold concentration “I use arti sanal slu ice box ”.

10.2. Analyzing data

The data collated for this research are mostly represented on quantitative manner. It has

been mentioned earlier that data will be gathered by questionnaire, as a result the analysis

will be quantitative, but also qualitative data. The data are grouped and analyzed

according to the same meaning idea, as bellow;

Use of mercury:

According to the data collected during the research, the question number one of the

questionnaire shows that 80% of the miners use mercury in their activities, 20% do not

use mercury. These data tell us that the miner in Fenda are using mercury frequently in

their process of gold concentration, and according to my topic there is a need to find if

they are using it correctly. On the question number two, most of the respondent gives the

idea that they use it because it is most efficient and it is the best way of concentrate gold.

Knowledge of retort

In the knowledge of retort, 80% of the miners in Fenda knows what is the retort, and 20%

of the miners don’t now what is it. But only 50% of the miners in Fenda use retort to

concentrate gold, and other 50% do sometimes use it or not use it. This shows us that the

miners in Fenda do not really know the procedures of mercury usage.

Training

50% of the artisanal miners in Fenda are trained to use retort on heating gold and other

50% does never have been trained to use it. This data explain us that the miners in Fenda


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ISPT 16

are really no advised about the mercury risk and they don’t know the procedure of

mercury usage.

10.3.Discussion

During the research, the researcher found out the procedures used by other country in

usage of mercury, and also had the opportunity to collect data in the area of study;

according to the international procedures:

The ore should be concentrated first and only then should mercury be added to

the concentrate. This way not only do we save mercury but also ensure that there

is a drastic reduction in the amount of mercury lost into the natural environment.

According to data collected, the miners in Fenda do not concentrate gold and that

influence directly on the environment by the highest amount of mercury lost into him.

The miners in Fenda does not have any idea of the mercury risk, that why the use it

without any type of protection, and by the way that mercury is not a suddenly killer,

they prefers to ignore some given advices;

The miners need to establish a closed circuit system and always use retort to

recover the mercury vapor liberated when we heat the amalgamated gold. In this

way we prevent mercury from being released into the air and eventually gettinginto people, water or the soil. Use of the retort will be mandatory for fair trade

certification.

To establish this closed circuit miners must know how to use the retort, and in Fenda

most of the miners does not ever been trained to use retort, and in their situation the

use of it is not mandatory.

Amalgam burning must be carried out using appropriate containment facilities,

proper equipment and trained personnel, in conditions of isolation and security. It

must not be done within the home or near domestic residences;

Most of artisanal miners burn the amalgam in the same place that he collect gold, near

the river and near the community, and they burn it without any type of protection, that

is out of the international procedure and not only, it affect the people near the mining

location, and the water life.


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ISPT 17


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ISPT 18

Conclusion

During this research with a purpose of finding out if the miners in Fenda were using

mercury, according the international procedure, the researcher find out that the miners in

Fenda use mercury in their entirely activities, but they do not use it correctly, or

following the international procedures of mercury usage. Most the miners in Fenda are

not trained to use retort to heat the amalgam, and the miners are also unaware of the

dangerous that mercury is.


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ISPT 19

Bibliography

[1.]

Babut M et al. Improving the environmental management of small-scale gold

mining in Ghana: a case study of Dumasi. Journal of Cleaner Production 19-04-

2002. JCLP766.

[2.] Babut M, et al. Assessment of environmental impacts due to mercury used in

artisanal gold mining in Ghana. Paper presented at the 6th ICMGP, Minamata,

Japan, 15-19 October 2001. BC83.

[3.] PERRY, R.H. CHILTON, C. Chemical engineer’s handbook . 5. ed. Califórnia;

MacGraw-Hill, 1973.

[4.]

WILLS, B.A. Mineral processing technology, 4. ed. (s.l.): Pergamon Press, 1988.

Cap. 9, p. 335-375.

[5.]

PLITT, L.R., FLINTOFF, B.C. The SPOC Manual. Unit Models (Part B) SP85 -

1/5.1E - CANMET.cap: 5.1.

[6.] Fundação Instituto Tecnológico do Estado de Pernambuco - IFEP Recife, 1980 -

Paulo Abib Andery.

[7.] M. Soldinger, Influence of particle size and bed thickness on the screening

process, Minerals Engineering 13 (2000), 297-312.

[8.]

[9.]

[3] Rambaud A, et al. Mercury exposure in artisanal mining community in Ghana.

Paper presented at the 6th ICMGP, Minamata, Japan, 15-19 October 2001. HE10.

[10.]

Muacanhia A. Mineracao artisanal e de pequena escala em Mocambique;

1ª edicao, Unizambeze. 2010.

http://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Merc

ury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDO accessed on 25 sept. 2015

http://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Mercury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDOhttp://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Mercury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDOhttp://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Mercury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDOhttp://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Mercury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDOhttp://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Mercury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDO


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ISPT 21

Yes No

If you marked on the “No” table, you finished the questionnaire

7. Do you use a retort in your process?

Yes No

The End