Rehabilitation of Mining Sites: The Case of the Gora/Sabodala Gold Mine in Senegal Prospects for Sustainable Development of a Mine

Abstract Background Access to improved water and sanitation infrastructures are key determinants of health. The sub-Saharan African region in particular is lagging behind the ambitious goal of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ensure universal access to improved and reliable water and sanitation for all (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6). Large mining projects can promote economic growth and hence investments in water and sanitation infrastructures, but at the same time lead to rapid population growth and environmental degradation. In turn, these changes can pose risks and opportunities for child health (SDG 3). In this study we aim to quantify the impacts of mining projects on access to water and sanitation infrastructure as well as diarrhea and malnutrition among children using data from 131 Demographic and Health Surveys from sub-Saharan Africa. Results From a sample of around 1.2 million households, data within the proximity of 52 mine-panels were selected for longitudinal analyses, resulting in 41,896 households and 32,112 children. Improvements in access to modern water and sanitation infrastructures after mine opening were much larger in households near mining sites than in comparison areas located further away (adjusted relative risk ratio (aRRR) water: 18.60, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 13.08–26.46 and aRRR sanitation: 2.56, 95 % CI: 1.32–4.99). However, these associations were weaker among poorer households. In areas close to the mining sites, stunting and underweight prevalence decreased more strongly upon mine opening (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) stunting: 0.62, 95 % CI: 0.43–0.90; aOR underweight: 0.55, 95 % CI: 0.36–0.84). No differential changes were seen for wasting and diarrhea. Large impact heterogeneity was observed both within and across countries. Conclusions Our results suggest that the opening of mines is associated with improvements in access to modern water and sanitation infrastructures (SDG 6) as well as in some health outcomes (SDG 3). However, the large impact heterogeneity suggests that the assessment and management of mining-related impacts on communities should have an increased equity-focus, in order to “leave no one behind” in the work towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Overall, the findings of this study underscore that the resource extraction sector has the potential to make positive and substantial contributions towards achieving the SDGs.

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Sustainable development indicators for mining sites in protected areas: tool development, ranking and scoring of potential environmental impacts and assessment of management scenarios

Journal of Cleaner Production ◽

10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.03.098 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 101 ◽

pp. 59-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

E. Marnika ◽

E. Christodoulou ◽

A. Xenidis

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Tool Development ◽

Management Scenarios ◽

Mining Sites ◽

Development Indicators ◽

Sustainable Development Indicators

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Physicochemical properties, heavy metals, and metal-tolerant bacteria profiles of abandoned gold mine tailings in Krugersdorp, South Africa

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.1139/cjss-2018-0161 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 100 (3) ◽

pp. 217-233

Author(s):

Muibat Omotola Fashola ◽

Veronica Mpode Ngole-Jeme ◽

Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

Keyword(s):

Heavy Metals ◽

Heavy Metal ◽

Physicochemical Properties ◽

Mine Tailings ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽

Gold Mine ◽

Biochemical Tests ◽

Mining Sites ◽

Gold Mine Tailings ◽

Metal Tolerant Bacteria

Mine tailings are a potential source of heavy metals (HM) that can be toxic to microbes, plants, and animals in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Bacteria have evolved several mechanisms to tolerate the uptake of HM ions. This study aimed to assess the physicochemical properties, concentrations of selected HM and metalloids [arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), and cobalt (Co)], and isolate potential metal-tolerant bacteria present at three abandoned gold mining sites with a view of understanding how tailings characteristics vary and the implications on microbial activities in tailings dumps. Heavy-metal-tolerant bacteria were isolated from the samples using minimum inhibitory and maximum tolerable concentrations of the Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Co. The substrates of the studied sites were acidic and deficient in nutrients. High metals and metalloid concentrations in the order Zn > Ni > Co > As > Pb > Cd were recorded in some of the studied sites and its adjacent soil which exceeded South African recommended values for soil and sediments. Heavy-metal-tolerant bacteria that showed multiple tolerances to Ni, Pb, and Zn were isolated and putatively identified using biochemical tests as belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. Gold mine tailings enriched the soil with HM and also affect soil physicochemical properties. Proper management of mine wastes must be ensured to prevent their adverse effects on the diversity, composition, and activity of soil microorganisms that help in maintenance of the ecosystem.

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IMPACT OF GOLD MINING ON FLORA: THE CASE OF THE SISSENGUE GOLD MINE (NORTHERN COTE DIVOIRE)

International Journal of Advanced Research ◽

10.21474/ijar01/13701 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 1415-1425

Author(s):

Kouassi Bruno Kpangui ◽

◽

Kouassi Apollinaire Kouakou ◽

NGuessan Achille Koffi ◽

Charles Sangne ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gold Mining ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Basal Area ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Survey Method ◽

Gold Mine ◽

Mining Activities ◽

Mining Sites ◽

Surface Survey ◽

Open Forests

This study was initiated to contribute to the sustainable management of biodiversity in mining sites in Cote dIvoire. Its objective is to determine the impacts of gold mining activities on the flora of the Sissengue gold mine located in the department of Tengrela in northern Cote dIvoire. The flora inventory was conducted along a 500 m transect combined with the surface survey and roving inventory methods. The surface survey method consisted of delimiting a 25 m x 25 m (400 m2) plot at the end of each transect. In total, nine (09) types of land use were identified in the site, namely annual crops, perennial crops, open forests, forest galleries, tree savannahs, shrub savannahs, burned areas, lakes or water reservoirs, and locality. The floristic inventories carried out in seven (07) types of land occupations allowed the identification of 207 plant species distributed among 155 genera and 61 families. In addition, thirteen (13) species with special ecological status and seven (07) species included in the IUCN red list, four of which are vulnerable. However, the floristic diversity is low in all plant formations with an average of 1.91. The shrubby savannahs record the highest densities with 1705 stems/ha while the forest galleries and open forests record the highest values of basal area, with respectively 37.2 m2/ha and 28.1 m2/ha. These vegetation formations are disturbed by the mines gold mining activities. Efforts to conserve areas dedicated to biodiversity conservation must be a priority for mining sites in Cote dIvoire.

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