PRESS BRIEFING ON THE DANGERS AND ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO MERCURY USE AMONG ARTISANAL SMALL SCALE GOLD MINERS (ASGM)

ACCC Team addressed the media on the dangers of Mercury and it’s alternatives in gold mining in Uganda at Grand global Hotel on 29th/10/2019.

The Director of Research and Administration at ACCC Mr. Enock Nimpamya said that misuse of mercury causes tremors, insomnia, miscarriages, impotence, and infertility among others.

It was revealed during the press briefing that mercury is extremely harmful to the central nervous system, where it causes tremors, difficulty in walking, tunnel vision, psychological problems and eventually death. ACCC director added that ” Men, women and children use bare hands in handling mercury in Gold mines. Miners have no or little knowledge on the dangers of mercury. “

It was pointed out during the press briefing that the Possible alternatives to mercury use in Gold extraction process include gravity concentration methods, shaking tables, spiral concentrators, vortex concentrators, Centrifuges, magnets, Flotation, direct smelting and chemical leaching (Use of Borax).

During the Question and Answer session, one of the journalists asked “Why do miners use Mercury? Is it cheaper? ” ACCC staff replied that “This is what they had access to but now we are telling them that what you are using is dangerous and creating awareness on alternatives.”