Learn more about child labour in mining

Gold mining is a very dangerous task for children. However, tens of thousands of people are still found in small gold mines in Africa, Asia and South America. Children work on the ground and in the basement. In tunnels and mines, explosions, rockfalls and deaths are caused by the collapse of tunnels. They inhale dust and air filled with toxic gases. On the ground, children often extract, squeeze, crush and transport ores under the hot sun. Some people stay in the water for several hours, digging sand or silt from the river bed. More

In addition to physical labor required for salt mining and harvesting, continuous exposure to salt is unhealthy for children. Salt is corrosive. The skin of the hand may rupture, discolor the iris, and the eyesight may be impaired. More

Quarrying of building materials and quarrying of gravel are difficult and dangerous tasks, especially for children. But for many poor young people involved in this activity, there is no choice. Quarry household income may not be enough to meet basic needs, and the money earned by children may be an important part of household income. It may mean the difference between eating one day and not eating. More

Children are common with small landmines in Madagascar. Several kids are involved in salt mining, quarrying, gemstones and gold mining. Approximately 58% of children of these mines are under 12 years old. According to IPEC, child labor in these mines is usually from families with unstable economic conditions. According to the US report of 2010, about 22% of Madagascar children aged 5 to 14 years old, more than 1.2 million people work. Another French team suggests that there are more than 2.4 million child laborers in Madagascar, of which more than 540,000 children of 5-9 years old work. Approximately 87% of child laborers are engaged in agriculture mainly engaged in harvesting, tea, cotton, cocoa, copla (coconut dried meat), sisal hemp, shrimp harvest and fishery. Madagascar children work on average 12 hours a day on a housekeeping service.

In 2012, the BBC accused Glencore from using child labor for mining and refining operations in Africa. Glencore said he could deny the use of child labor and there is a strict policy of not using child labor. We claim that Glencore knows child miners who claim to belong to a group of craftsmen's miners. Since 2010, they have gained Glencor's concessions without permission, and the company claims that it requested the government to withdraw its craftmen miners' concessions. About 4.7 million children from the age of 5 to 14 are working in the Congo. In addition to copper mines, they are participating in craftsmen including cobalt, wolframite, cassiteite, coltan, gold, diamonds. Many of them do not crush the ore, pour stimulated chemicals without using protective equipment, and manually carry rocks from deep pits and open pit mines. Children are also engaged in agriculture, and continue to be adopted as the Congolese army and children's soldiers of various rebels.