Exposure and Toxic Effects of Elemental Mercury in Gold Mining Activities

Epidemiology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. S264-S265
Author(s):  
Raul Harari ◽  
Ulf Strömberg ◽  
Karin Broberg ◽  
Lars Gerhardsson ◽  
Karin Engström ◽  
...  
2012 ◽  
Vol 213 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl Harari ◽  
Florencia Harari ◽  
Lars Gerhardsson ◽  
Thomas Lundh ◽  
Staffan Skerfving ◽  
...  

DEPIK ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Adlim

Abstract. The issue of mercury pollution in Aceh waters, Indonesiadue to gold mining activities hasbeen a polemic in local media and Aceh Local Government and the communities have much concern on this case. The impact of mercury pollution in the Teunom and Tangse (Aceh)rivers was often assumed that it has similarity with Minamatapollution in Japan. This article intends to enlighten the characteristic mercury either as elements or compounds including methyl mercury which is highly toxic. Gold mining using elemental mercury is poorly soluble in water, the solubility is only 0.06 g per ton of mercury but the solubility can increase indark the sea-bed and ina lot of dissolved oxygen. Based on the properties of solubility, it is understood that the mercury levels in the Teunom and Tangse rivers still below the tolerance limit, but the gold mining activities still bringsthe risk of environmental damage especially inadequate supervision. Many researchers were trying to prove the natural conversionfrom mercury into methyl mercury (biomethylation) but they usedthe salt instead of the elemental mercury in their experiments. Methyl mercury is found in nature, but the process mercury conversion into methyl mercury compound is still controversial and it has not obtained adequate evidence for the natural alteration,therefore gold pollution which is due to releasing elemental mercury into environment might not be analogue to Minamata case.Keywords: Aceh; Methyl-mercury; Minamata; Mining; Gold Abstrak. Informasi pencemaran merkuri di perairan Aceh dan kaitannya dengan aktivitas pertambangan emas telah menjadi polemik sehingga menjadi perhatian Pemda Aceh dan Masyarakat. Dampak pencemaran merkuri di Sungai Teunom dan Tangse sering dianalogikan dengan kasus pencemaran merkuri di teluk Minamata, Jepang. Artikel ini bermaksud memberi pencerahan kharakteristik merkuri baik sebagai unsur maupun sebagai senyawa seperti metil merkuri yang sangat beracun. Penambangan emas menggunakan unsur merkuri yang sukar larut dalam air, kelarutannya hanya 0,06 g per ton unsur merkuri  namun kelarutannya dapat meningkat jika di dasar laut yang gelap dan banyak oksigen terlarut. Berdasarkan sifat kelarutannya, dapat dipahami bahwa kadar merkuri di Sungai Teunom masih di bawah batas toleransi, namun aktivitas penambangan emas tetap saja memiliki resiko kerusakan lingkungan apalagi jika tidak mendapat pengawasan yang memadai. Banyak peneliti berusaha membuktikan perubahan merkuri menjadi metil merkuri (biometilasi) tetapi mereka menggunakan garam merkuri dan bukan unsur merkuri dalam ekperimen mereka. Metil merkuri memang ditemukan di alam tetapi proses perubahan dari senyawa merkuri menjadi metil merkuri masih diperdebatkan dan belum diperoleh bukti yang kuat perubahan dari unsur merkuri menjadi metil merkuri dalam air sehingga di Peraian Aceh belum tentu tercemar metil merkuri sebagaimana kasus Minamata.Kata kunci: Aceh; metil-merkuri; minamata; penambangan; emas


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdelaal ◽  
◽  
Mohamed Sultan ◽  
R.V. Krishnamurthy ◽  
Mustafa Kemal Emil ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Jesse Jonkman

Abstract This article maps the contentious forms of political life that emerge when multicultural rights and non-formal gold extraction coincide. Specifically, it shows how, in the Colombian department of Chocó, Afro-descendant community councils have produced a unique form of mining governance that, while depending for its legitimacy on everyday uses of Afro-Colombian legislation, consists of the organisation, taxation and policing of mining activities that are in tension with official notions of extractive and multicultural law. In exploring such ‘underground’ cultural politics, the article highlights the limits of state-centric analyses of ‘neoliberal multiculturalism’ and, accordingly, underscores the instrumental role that governed subjects play in the on-the-ground unfolding of multicultural governance regimes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 251
Author(s):  
Rita Yulianti ◽  
Emi Sukiyah ◽  
Nana Sulaksana

Daerah penelitian terletak di desa Muaro Limun, Kecamatan Limun Kabupaten Sarolangun Provinsi Jambi. Sungai limun, salah satu sungai besar di daerah kabupaten sarolangun yang dimanfaatkan oleh mayarakat sekitarnya sebagai sumber penghidupan. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh kegiatan penambangan terhadap kualitas air sungai Batang Limun, dan perubahan sifat fisik dan  kimia yang diakibatkan   kegiatan penambangan.Metode yang digunakan adalah  metode grab sampel, serta stream sedimen untuk dianalis di laboratorium. Sejumlah sampel diambil di beberapa lokasi Penambangan Emas berdasarkan Aliran Sub-DAS dan dibandingkan dengan beberapa sampel lain yang diambil pada lokasi yang belum terkontaminasi oleh kegiatan penambangan. Analisis kualitas air mengacu pada  SMEWWke 22 tahun 2012 dan standar baku mutu air kelas II dalam PP No 82 yang dikeluarkan oleh Menteri Kesehatan No. 492/Menkes/Per/IV/2010. Diketahui sungai Batang Limun telah mengalami perubahan karakteristik fisika dan kimia. Dari grafik  kosentrasi kekeruhan, pH, TSS, TDS  Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Hg terlihat bahwa penambang emas tanpa izin (PETI) dengan cara amalgamasi yang menyebabkan terjadinya penurunan kualitas air sungai. Sejak tahun 2009 sampai tahun 2015  sungai Limun dan sekitarnya terus mengalami penurunan kualitas air. Penurunan kualitas yang cukup tinggi terjadi  yaitu peningkatan nilai Rata-rata konsentrasi merkuri pada sungai Batang Limun dari 0,18ppb (0,00018 mg/l)  menjadi 0,3ppb (0,0003 mg/l), peningkatan tersebut dipengaruhi oleh proses kegiatan penambangan dan nilai tersebut masih dibawah standar baku mutu air kelas II  pp nomor 82 tahun 2010.Kata kunci :   Kualitas Air, Sungai Limun,TSS, Merkuri, PETI Limun river is one of the major rivers in the area of Sarolangun, which utilized by the society as a source of livelihood. The aim of study  to analyze the effect of mining activities on  the water quality of Batang Limun River, and the changes of physical and chemical properties of water. The method used are grab  and stream samples to  sediment analyzed in the laboratory. A number of samples were taken at several locations based Flow Gold Mining Sub-watershed and compared to some other samples taken at the location that has not been contaminated by mining activities. Water quality analysis referring to SMEWW, 22nd edition 2012 and refers to Regulation No 82 that issued by Minister of Health No. 492 / Menkes / Per / IV / 2010.The results showed that the Limun river has undergone chemical changes in physical characteristics. These symptoms can be seen from the discoloration of clear water in the river before the mine becomes brownish after mining, based on graphic of muddiness concentration: pH, TSS, TDS Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Hg have seen that  the illegal miner which used amalgamation caused deterioration in water quality, data from 2009 to 2015 Limun river and surrounding areas continue to experience a decrease in water quality. The decreasing of water quality showed in the TSS parameter which found in the area is to high based on  the standard of water quality class II pp number 82 of 2010. An increase in the value of average concentrations of mercury in the Batang Limun river before mine 0,18ppb (0.00018 mg / l) into 0,3ppb (0.0003 mg / l) on the river after the mine. The increase was affected by the mining activities and the value is still below the air quality standard Grade II pp numbers 82 years 2010, although the value is still below with the standards quality standard, the mercury levels in water should still be a major concern because if it accumulates continuously in the water levels will increase and will be bad for health. In contrast to the concentration of mercury in sediments that have a higher value is 153 ppb (0,513ppm ) .Key Words :   Water Quality, Limun River, Mercury, Illegal gold mining


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-96
Author(s):  
Debbi V Pattimahu ◽  
Antho Netty Siahaya ◽  
Terezia V Pattimahu

Natural resource management that does not pay attention to the principles of conservation of natural resources and the environment will have negative implications for environmental sustainability. With the discovery of gold on the coast of Tamiouw Village at this time, residents' activities have shifted to gold mining activities in the coastal area of Tamilouw. This study aims to determine the impact of gold mining on the physical environment in Tamilouw Village, Amahai District, Central Maluku Regency, as well as to determine the impact of gold mining on the social and economic environment of the local community. The research  was  conducted  using  non-experimental  methods,  namely exploratory descriptive,  field observations  and literature study. The results showed that gold mining carried out in Tamilouw Village uses mercury in the process of separating gold from sand, although there are also some people who carryout traditional processing. What some people are worried about is that the disposal of mercury waste is not carried out according to the required procedures, so that it will have an impact on environmental damage. The existence of mining activities does not affect the social aspects, namely education, health and age and gender; while from the economic aspect, it also contributes to increasing people's income. Keywords : Gold mining, environment, Tamilouw Villageout traditional processing. What some people are worried about is that the disposal of mercury waste is not carried out according to the required procedures, so that it will have an impact on environmental damage. The existence of mining activities does not affect the social aspects, namely education, health and age and gender; while from the economic aspect, it also contributes to increasing people's income.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (27) ◽  
pp. 200911
Author(s):  
Aung Zaw Tun ◽  
Pokkate Wongsasuluk ◽  
Wattasit Siriwong

Background. Artisanal and small-scale mining activities are widely practiced globally. Concentrations of heavy metals associated with gold, such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) can increase in the environment as a result of mining activities, leading to environmental pollution and pose toxicity risks to humans and animals. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to investigate soil concentrations of toxic heavy metals in placer small-scale gold mining operations in Myanmar. Methods. Soil samples were collected from three placer small-scale gold mining sites: Site A located in the Hmawbon public protected forest, Site B and Site C, situated in the Nant-Kyin reserved forest around Nar Nant Htun village. At each site, soil samples were collected from four gold mining stages (ore processing, sluicing, panning, and amalgamation). Atomic absorption spectroscopy was utilized to examine the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg. Results. The highest heavy metal concentrations were generally found in the amalgamation stages across all the gold mining sites. Across the three mining sites, the maximum heavy metal concentrations in the amalgamation stage were 22.170 mg.kg−1 for As, 3.070 mg.kg−1 for Cd, 77.440 mg.kg−1 for Hg, and 210.000 mg.kg−1 for Pb. Conclusions. The present study examined the concentrations of As, Cd, Hg and Pb in the soil of several small-scale gold mining sites in Banmauk Township, Myanmar. The results demonstrated the presence of high concentrations of heavy metals in the soil of the gold mining sites. Miners in this area work without proper personal protective equipment, and frequent exposure to heavy metals in the soil may cause adverse health effects. The present study provides baseline data for future risk assessment studies of heavy metal contamination in gold mines. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document