INSTITUTO SUPERIOR POLITCNICO DE TETE

DIVISO DE MINAS
ENGENHARIA DE PROCESSAMENTO MINERAL
3 ANO

TETE, 2015

Dclay Mrio 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

Index
1.

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

2.

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 4
2.1.

Background ............................................................................................................................ 4

2.1.1.

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 .................................................................................................................. 6

7.

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

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 metalworking 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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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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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 well going to, not only find how they use it, but also to
improve their techniques if its 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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7. Timeline
Au.18-Au.25

Au.28 6Sept.

7Sept.-14Sept.

19Sept-26Sept.

5oct. - 15oct.

20 oct. - 28 oct.

29oct. - 30 oct.

5 nov- 15 nov.

Topic

Chapter I

Introduction
Aims/objectives
R.Questions
Justification
Def. of terms
Time line
Chapter II

Lit.Review
Procedures
Introduction

Chapter III

Sample

Chapter IV

Methodology

Chapter V

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Dat.Presentation

Data analyze
Descussion
Conclusion

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 Organizations (UNIDO) Global Mercury Project field assessments found
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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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 its 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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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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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

Number of people

6
5
4

sometimes

no

yes

1
0
yes

no

sometimes
Options

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.

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3. Do you concentrate gold before use mercury?

7
6
5
4

Yes
No

At times

2
1
0

yes

No

At times

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 it
until 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.

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5. Do you know what is retort

Knowloge of retort

Yes
No

6. Do you use retort in your process?

Yes

No

Sometimes

30%

50%

20%

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7. Have you been trained to use retort

train
12
10
8
Never

Yes, More than one time

Yes, Once a yerar

4
2
0
training

8. Do you know about the mercury risk?

6
5
4

yes
3

no
I am not sure

2
1
0

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

The miners that answered this question give a meaning that they dont use it because
it is expensive, and they dont 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 artisanal sluice 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 dont 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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are really no advised about the mercury risk and they dont 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 getting
into 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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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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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 19-042002. JCLP766.
[2.] Babut M, et al. Assessment of environmental impacts due to mercury used in
artisanal gold mining in Ghana. Paper presented at the 6 th ICMGP, Minamata,
Japan, 15-19 October 2001. BC83.
[3.] PERRY, R.H. CHILTON, C. Chemical engineers handbook. 5. ed. Califrnia;
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.] Fundao Instituto Tecnolgico 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;

1 edicao, Unizambeze. 2010.

http://www.unep.org/ErrorPage.asp?aspxerrorpath=/hazardoussubstances/Portals/9/Merc
ury/Documents/ASGM/UNIDO accessed on 25 sept. 2015

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QUESTIONNAIRE

This Questionnaire is to attend the research with a purpose of finding if the mercury in Fenda-Manica are
being used as a International Procedure of Mercury usage in a gold concentration. Answer the questions
bellow with the extreme level of details and clarity.
Name __________________ .Age:___ Sex: ___

(Optional, you can leave this part)

Date:

__/__/____

1. Do you use mercury in your activities of concentrate gold?

Yes

No

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

2. Do you concentrate gold before use mercury?

Yes

No

3. How do you heat the amalgamated gold?

.
.
.

4. Do you know about the mercury risks?

Yes

No

5. Why do you keep using mercury?

.
.
.

6. Do you know what is retort?

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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

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