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...conducting innovative research for the Mining Industry! |
The Centre for Environmental Research in Minerals, Metals, and Materials |
Mercury Detoxification:
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September, 2002.
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Mercury Detoxification
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Marcello Veiga, Assistant Professor of Mining Engineering
Background As a material to recover gold, Mercury has been virtually banned from use in most main-stream mining operations. Worldwide however, there are literally millions of itinerant miners eking out a living panning for gold from surface placer deposits and these artisanal miners often use mercury to enhance the extraction of fine gold particles in their deposits.
The problem is particularly harsh in the Brazilian Amazon where it is estimated over one million people depend on informal mining activities in over 50 different mining regions through Amazon. Not only does mercury affect the worker and his family, but fish-eating people living quite distant from such operations are beginning to show signs of mercury poisoning. The mercury is methylated in situ at the mine site where it enters the water course and accumulates and magnifies in fish as it rises up the food chain.
There are some in our industry who claim that this activity is illegal and unrepresentative of the "real" mining industry. This is an attitude with some validity, however the perception of the public about mining is tainted by stories about the dangers of mercury and it would be prudent to address this problem up-front and provide support for efforts to combat the spread of this incideous element. Moreover, some large-scale mining operations must recover mercury from their ore in order to protect the local environment (Newmont's Yanacocha operation in Peru) and the transportation and sale of this material has proven to be both dangerous and controversial. Mercury is clearly not just a problem limited to artisanal mining. The aftermath of the Yanaococha mercury spill cost Newmont over $17 million US in the form of clean-up, compensation, new system implementation and community interactions.
To see a paper on this problem and the work being done in CERM3 to study ways to overcome the issue, click here. (PDF Format)
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Email: cerm3@mining.ubc.ca
Copyright © 2002 Centre for Environmental Research in Minerals, Metals, and Materials. All rights reserved.
Permission is given to reproduce all or any of the contained materials provided due credit is given to CERM3 as the source.
Revised: September 28, 2002.
