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Toxic mercury versus appropriate technology: Artisanal gold miners’ retort aversion

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  • Bosse Jønsson, Jesper
  • Charles, Elias
  • Kalvig, Per

Abstract

Mercury-usage in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) has accelerated in developing countries during the last thirty years resulting in negative environmental and health impacts. As awareness of mercury contamination from ASGM has grown, a number of strategic initiatives have been introduced to reduce the impact of the toxic substance. The adoption of the retort, a device capable of recycling up to 95 per cent of mercury in gold extraction, constitutes a broadly recognized approach. Based on case-study research in Tanzania, this paper examines an ASGM area, which has been targeted by several mercury-reducing efforts. Based on survey data, key informants interviews, and visitor observations, the paper examines the impact of these efforts on mining techniques and residents’ attitudes towards the use of mercury. Despite the seemingly obvious advantages from adopting retorts or other mercury-reducing techniques – economic, environmental, and health-wise – miners continue to use mercury haphazardly, while demonstrating an only limited awareness of the toxicity of the substance. The paper discusses the possible explanations behind this as well as possible ways forward in facilitating the reduction of mercury in ASGM operations.

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  • Bosse Jønsson, Jesper & Charles, Elias & Kalvig, Per, 2013. "Toxic mercury versus appropriate technology: Artisanal gold miners’ retort aversion," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 60-67.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:38:y:2013:i:1:p:60-67
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2012.09.001
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    1. Beyene, Fekadu, 2007. "The Role of Customary Institutions in Managing Conflict on Grazing Land: A Study from Mieso District, Eastern Ethiopia," Institutional Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources Discussion Papers 7703, Humboldt University Berlin, Department of Agricultural Economics.
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    1. Spiegel, Samuel J. & Agrawal, Sumali & Mikha, Dino & Vitamerry, Kartie & Le Billon, Philippe & Veiga, Marcello & Konolius, Kulansi & Paul, Bardolf, 2018. "Phasing Out Mercury? Ecological Economics and Indonesia's Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1-11.
    2. Alhassan, Hadisu & Peleato, Nicolás & Sadiq, Rehan, 2023. "Mercury risk reduction in artisanal and small-scale gold mining: A fuzzy AHP-Fuzzy TOPSIS hybrid analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Junmin Lee & Keungoui Kim & Hyunha Shin & Junseok Hwang, 2018. "Acceptance Factors of Appropriate Technology: Case of Water Purification Systems in Binh Dinh, Vietnam," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-20, June.
    4. Fritz, Morgane M.C. & Maxson, Peter A. & Baumgartner, Rupert J., 2016. "The mercury supply chain, stakeholders and their responsibilities in the quest for mercury-free gold," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 177-192.
    5. V. L. Morgan & E. S. McLamore & M. Correll & G. A. Kiker, 2021. "Emerging mercury mitigation solutions for artisanal small-scale gold mining communities evaluated through a multicriteria decision analysis approach," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 413-424, September.
    6. Pedersen, Rasmus Hundsbæk & Mutagwaba, Willison & Jønsson, Jesper Bosse & Schoneveld, George & Jacob, Thabit & Chacha, Maisory & Weng, Xiaoxue & Njau, Maria G., 2019. "Mining-sector dynamics in an era of resurgent resource nationalism: Changing relations between large-scale mining and artisanal and small-scale mining in Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 339-346.
    7. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Over-spilling institutions: The political ecology of ‘greening’ the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 438-453.
    8. Juan Sebastián Lara‐Rodríguez & Morgane M. C. Fritz, 2023. "How does eliminating mercury from artisanal and small‐scale gold mining lead to achieving sustainable development goals?," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(2), pages 214-228, May.

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