Recovering Lost Gold With Improved Efficiency, Productivity, and Environmental Impacts in Kenya
Excerpt from the 2020 State of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Sector
Focus Area: Make Production Sustainable and Eliminate Mercury
Case Study: Recovering Lost Gold With Improved Efficiency, Productivity, and Environmental Impacts in Kenya
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a subsistence level livelihood for many rural communities across the world. In Kenya, it provides work for an estimated 40,000 people and produces 5 metric tons of gold per year (Barreto et al. 2018). The impact of ASGM is double-edged with the economic benefits offset by damage to the environment and the health of mining communities, particularly due to the widespread use of mercury to recover gold. As a signatory to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (UNEP 2017), Kenya has agreed to eliminate the use of mercury, formalize the ASGM sector, introduce good practice, and protect the health of mining communities.
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Additional Info
- Author(s)
- C Mitchell, T Bide, C Odhiambo
- Publication Year
- 2021
- Associated Partners
- British Geological Survey; University of Nairobi
- Language
- English
- Publishing Institution Webpage
- https://www.delvedatabase.org
- Data Source Classification
- Global Report
- Research Type
- Both
- Research Methodology
- Primary - OBSERVATION, Secondary - PREVIOUS RESEARCH, Secondary - OFFICIAL STATISTICS
- Thematic Tags
- Political, Formalization, Governance, Economic, Market Linkages, Social, Community, Employment, Livelihoods, Environmental, Degradation, Pollution, Reclamation, Waste Management, Water, 2020 State of Sector
- Minerals
- Gold
- Country
- Kenya
- Last Updated
- July 1, 2021