Alluvial Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in A River Stream—Rutsiro Case Study (Rwanda)

Assessing the effects of gold mining on environment: A case study of Shekiso district, Guji zone, Ethiopia

Environmental sustainability has become a serious problem in the world. Similarly, on environmental of the mining in the Shekiso district has become a severe issue at present. Such events have fueled an often contentious debate about how to identify areas that should be declared off-limits to mining because of too-rapid social and environmental sensitivity. Therefore, this study aims to assess the effects of the gold mining on the environment at a selected kebele in the case of Shekiso District, Guji Zone, Ethiopia. The primary data used for this study was obtained from 283 randomly selected sample in the study area. This data was collected using a structured interview, focus group discussions, observation, and key informant interviews, then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Besides, a semi-structured interview was used to collect data from the mining and energy office in Shekiso District. The key informant was selected specifically to infer the effects of gold mining on the environment in the study area. The survey results indicate that mining serves as a key source of income (53%), a source of raw materials (30%), and employment (17%). On the other hand, gold mining is a root cause of environmental problems such as water shortages (8.8%), dehydration of the brook (10.6%), soil erosion (20.8%), damage to the street (17.6%), and destruction of the ecosystem (7.0%). Besides that, about 8.8%, 8.8%, and 6.3% of households stated that mining operations cause deforestation, air pollution, and destruction of aquatic life, respectively. Generally, due to a lack of environmental awareness programs through education in many gold mining communities, safeguarding sustainable use of the natural environment poses several challenges in study area. As a result, local governments should raise awareness, facilitate registration, and address rules and enforcement in an effort to enhance ecologically friendly mining.

The Livelihood of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners and Awareness of the Use of 3T Minerals in Rwanda-A Case Study in the Rutsiro District: A Qualitative Assessment

This article examines the impact of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) on livelihood in mining communities in Rwanda (Rutsiro) where wolframite and coltan are mined. The paper discusses the development of ASM and other entrepreneur activities, in particular agriculture. With ASM activities, there is environmental degradation on the one hand but also an improvement in the well-being of the local population on the other. The 3T (tin, tungsten, tantalum) minerals extracted by ASM are used in the electronics industry for products such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, which are mainly consumed in the developed world. Based on questionnaires and structured research with miners, it was determined how ASM affects their lives, or whether there is a deterioration or improvement in their well-being. The research builds on previous field research in Rwanda. Because of mining, communities in the mining areas have access to health care, they can pay tuition fees, insurance, etc. On the other hand, the lives of miners are endangered by respiratory diseases, accidents in mines, landslides in mining areas, and other negative environmental impacts. The extraction of these minerals, however, may lead to a worse quality of life for the miners responsible for the extraction in developing countries. This different view is also illustrated by the fact that miners themselves often do not know what 3T minerals are used for. ASM benefits miners from an economic perspective but may worsen their quality of life due to unsuitable working conditions. This study covers a broader understanding of socioeconomic impacts of ASM and tries to point out the lack of awareness about the mining of minerals important for the daily use of modern technologies. This article would like to contribute to the larger debate about the lack of awareness of the origin of 3T minerals.

Save the giants: demand beyond production capacity of tantalum raw materials

Tantalum’s high melting point and ability to store and release electrical charges have attracted high-tech companies since its usage in capacitors began in the 1930s. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, daily life relied on electronic equipment, resulting in a surge in demand for electronic and communication gadgets, which could necessitate many tantalum raw materials and an assured supply chain. Despite tantalum’s high demand from electronic manufacturers, 5G network systems and electric vehicles are currently added to the tantalum consumer list. The authors have examined three interconnected issues linked to tantalum supply interruption, which has resulted in a growing tantalum scarcity: (1) rising demand for tantalum ores and high-tech equipment while mining activities are in decline owing to the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) tantalum ore price volatility constrains the ore supply chain; (3) the challenge of pandemics that shrink mining activities and handicap supply chain. To address the issue of supply shortage in the long-term, the authors suggest that the concerned parties may adopt new norms of reliable, stable, and transparent supply channels instead of relying on an old uncertain and volatile supply system. The authors also suggest the transformation of central African artisanal and small-scale mining (mainly in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) into a modern mining system with a new supply channel that can resist existing and future disruptions.

Investigation of Long-Term Roving Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Activities Using Time-Series Sentinel-1 and Global Surface Water Datasets

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a significant source of gold production globally despite the sector being informal and illegal. The rapid increase in the number of roving mining camps has negatively impacted the surrounding environment; however, the formation and transformation of roving mining camps have not been well studied. This study investigated the long-term trends and significant hotspots of roving camp-type ASGM (R-C-ASGM) in Katingain Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, from 1988 to 2020 using remotely sensed data, including Sentinel-1 time-series, global surface water (GSW), and world landcover datasets. Results show that several active R-C-ASGM sites existed in the Galangan and Kalanaman areas in 2017/2018. According to the GSW dataset, the Galangan area was estimated to be formed earlier, whereas the Kalanaman areas were recently formed and were associated with the Kalanaman river expansion. Notably, the center of Galangan was still a significant R-C-ASGM hotspot. The findings of this study broaden our understanding of R-C-ASGM transformation and identify significant R-C-ASGM hotspots over a long period. This study contributes to the development of timely and appropriate interventions for strengthening environmental governance.

Detection of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Activities and Their Transformation Using Earth Observation, Nighttime Light, and Precipitation Data

The rapid growth of artificially constructed mining camps has negatively impacted the camps' surrounding environment and the informal communities that have developed inside the camps. However, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is generally informal, illegal, and unregulated; thus, transformations of the mining activities and potential social-environmental problems resulting from these changes are not revealed. This study assesses the transformation of mining activities in camp-type ASGM sectors in Gorontalo, Indonesia, during 2014-2020 using remotely sensed data, such as Landsat series, nighttime light, and precipitation data obtained through Google Earth Engine. Results show that the combined growth of the built-up areas increased 4.8-fold, and their annual mean nighttime light increased 3.8-fold during 2014-2019. Furthermore, diverse increases in the sizes of area and nighttime light intensity were identified from the mining camps. Among the studied camps, since 2017, Motomboto camp 3 showed a particularly rapid change in activity regardless of the season of the year. Hence, these approaches are capable of identifying rapid transformations in the mining activities and provide significant insight into the socio-environmental problems originating from the closed and vulnerable camp-based ASGM sector. Our results also contribute to developing rapid and appropriate interventions and strengthening environmental governance.

Time-Series Assessment of Camp-Type Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sectors with Large Influxes of Miners Using LANDSAT Imagery

Mining sites development have had a significant impact on local socioeconomic conditions, the environment, and sustainability. However, the transformation of camp-type artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sites with large influxes of miners from different regions has not been properly evaluated, owing to the closed nature of the ASGM sector. Here, we use remote sensing imagery and field investigations to assess ASGM sites with large influxes of miners living in mining camps in Bone Bolango Regency, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia, in 1995-2020. Built-up areas were identified as indicators of transformation of camp-type ASGM sites, using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, from the time series of images obtained using Google Earth Engine, then correlated with the prevalent gold market price. An 18.6-fold increase in built-up areas in mining camps was observed in 2020 compared with 1995, which correlated with increases in local gold prices. Field investigations showed that miner influx also increased after increases in gold prices. These findings extend our understanding of the rate and scale of development in the closed ASGM sector and the driving factors behind these changes. Our results provide significant insight into the potential rates and levels of socio-environmental pollution at local and community levels.

Fostering the Sustainability of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) of Barite in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

The exploration and mining of Nigerian barite are primarily by artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) whose operations are characterized by poor productivity. As a result, the quantity and quality of barites produced do not satisfy the nation’s oil sector demands and other industries that require the mineral. This situation leads to massive importation of the mineral with negative impact on the country’s drive toward increasing the contribution of solid minerals to the gross domestic product (GDP). This study reviews the existing policies and government interventions on ASM of Nigerian barite; evaluates the operations of ASM through a survey of mines in Nasarawa state, Nigeria; identifies factors that affect sustainability of the sector and proffers solutions to foster sustainability of ASM of barite in the region. The study adopted the 4Is optimization technique (Information gathering, Interpretation, Implication, and Implementation) through personal interactions with the stakeholders at the barite mining sites, and government agencies, regarding policies and interventions specific to ASM of barite. Challenges identified include: weak implementation and enforcement of mining laws; inadequate support from government and development partners; poor access to mining equipment and technology; poor infrastructure (access road, water, electricity); poor pricing of products (marketing challenges); poor remuneration of mine workers; poor mining skills; inadequate formal education; limited awareness on environmental health and safety hazards; fragility and conflict; insufficient information and data on mines and miners; security issues; lack of access to finance; lack of formalization of operations and poor legal framework for operations. The strategies suggested for fostering the sustainability of ASM of barites include: enhanced policy and legislation formulation and implementation, strengthening of institutions, formalization of ASM operations, training of miners, awareness campaign, improvement in environmental and safety of operations, empowerment and support by government and development partners for individual miners and processors and organized groups within the sector (such as Miners Association of Nigeria, Association of Miner and Processors of Barite, AMAPOB). Implementation of these strategies will lead to sustainable operations of the sector and hence improved rural livelihoods, stimulation of entrepreneurship in an environmentally responsible manner, and improvement in the contribution of the mineral sector to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), and hence national development.