Mercury Exposure in West Africa's Informal Gold Mining Sector Remains a Persistent Threat

Women and children are disproportionately exposed to mercury, a potent neurotoxin, in informal gold mining in West Africa, where the substance remains the dominant method for extracting gold from ore. The practice is particularly concerning in Senegal's Kedougou region, where women like Sadio Camara use mercury regularly to make a living. Mercury exposure can cause irreversible brain damage, developmental delays, and other severe health effects.

Key Takeaways:

• Women in informal gold mining in West Africa are at high risk of mercury exposure, with potentially devastating health consequences for themselves and their children.
• Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is the largest global source of mercury emissions, releasing between 12 and 16 metric tons of mercury annually in Senegal alone.
• The Minamata Convention on Mercury, ratified by Senegal in 2016, aims to reduce mercury use and pollution, but the substance remains widely accessible in the region.
• A 2018 study found mercury levels in soils, sediments, and water near artisanal gold mining villages in Senegal exceeded safety thresholds by 10 to 100 times.
• Despite the availability of mercury-free gold processing units, only one has been built in the Kedougou region, and it is not accessible to all communities.
• Women's exposure to mercury is exacerbated by their role in processing gold and their limited access to clean water for personal use and other activities.
• Children are also at risk of mercury exposure through contaminated breast milk and environmental contamination.

Statistics:

• Artisanal and small-scale gold mining releases between 12 and 16 metric tons of mercury annually in Senegal.
• The World Health Organization and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency safety thresholds for mercury were exceeded 10 to 100 times in a 2018 study near artisanal gold mining villages in Senegal.
• Women in informal gold mining in Senegal earn up to $745 monthly processing 5-10 grams of gold, more than double the national average salary.
• The Institute for Security Studies reported that most of Senegal's mercury supply comes from Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana, with smaller amounts smuggled from dental clinics in Dakar.
• Only one mercury-free gold processing unit has been built in the Kedougou region, and it is not accessible to all communities.

Sources:

• Annika Hammerschlag and The Associated Press
• Institute for Security Studies (2022)
• Observatoire Territoriale du Secteur Extractif
• La Lumiere NGO
• Minamata Convention on Mercury
• 2018 Duke University-led study