Mining pollution: Does gold mining emit mercury?

Mining may release mercury, especially during ore processing. Mining pollution control measures can reduce mercury emissions and mercury emissions have declined sharply in Europe and North America in recent decades

Mercury is an element naturally present in metal ore and its content varies. In many mining areas mercury does not exist and is not emitted either. In places where mercury is present there is concern that the extraction and treatment of these ores could be released into the atmosphere and there is a possibility of human and environmental impact.

Mining and refining of metals is the third most source of anthropogenic mercury emissions. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) says that while large-scale gold production accounts for 6 to 7% of artificial mercury emissions, mining and processing of other metals account for 10% I estimate. [1, p. 17]

Mercury emissions have declined in developed countries over the past several decades as new mine pollution control mechanisms were used to remove mercury from emissions:

In Canada, mercury emissions decreased by 84% between 1990 and 2009 [2]. This is due in part to a substantial reduction in emissions from the base metal sector and the introduction of new technologies [3]

In the United States, mercury emissions from four major gold mines declined by 80% between 2002 and 2005 as part of voluntary mercury reduction program [4].

Europe's mercury emissions were the most reduced due to improved management measures, economic changes, changes in processing and consumption [1, p. twenty one].

1 UNEP Chemicals Division, Global Atmospheric Mercury Assessment: Sources, Emissions and Transportation, 2008, UNEP - Chemicals

2 Canada, Environment Canada. Summary of air pollutant emissions in 2009 and trends in past emissions March 15, 2011 [Published August 12, 2011]; http://www.ec.gc.ca/inrp-npri/default .asp? lang = En & n = available from 2DAFE 231-1 # highlight

Environment Canada 3 Canada. Mercury risk management strategy 2010 [November 1, 2011 quote]; available at http://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/mercure-mercury/1241/index_e.htm #figure7

4 US Environmental Protection Agency [EPA]. Voluntary Mercury Air Reduction Program (VMRP) EPA, Nevada State and Nevada State gold mine. [Quoted on August 9, 2011]; Available from www.epa.gov/region9/toxic/mercury/pdf/vmrp-final.pdf

Gold mining: Metal mercury may be used for craftsmen outside the United States and small-scale gold mining. Mercury is mixed with gold-containing material to form mercury-gold amalgam. The amalgam is then heated to evaporate mercury and leave gold. This process is very dangerous and can lead to serious mercury exposure. Miners working in the tailings of areas where mercury was previously used may also be inadvertently exposed to mercury remaining in these deposits. Details of mercury pollution in craftsmen and small gold mining

The use of mercury in gold mining is causing a global health and environmental crisis. Mercury is a liquid metal used for craftsmen and small-scale gold mining to extract gold from rocks and sediments. Unfortunately, mercury is a toxic substance, serious damage to the health of miners as well as the health of the planet. For each gram produced, the manual gold miner releases about 2 grams of mercury to the environment. Goldmine workers from 10 million people to 15 million craftsmen in the world emit about 1,000 tons of mercury annually, ie 35% of artificial mercury pollution. The manual gold mining industry is actually one of the main causes of global mercury pollution, ahead of coal-fired power plants.

Mercury is an element naturally present in metal ore and its content varies. In many mining areas mercury does not exist and is not emitted either. In places where mercury is present, there is a concern that these ores could be released into the atmosphere by mining and treating, and there is a possibility of human and environmental influences. Mining and refining of metals is the third most source of anthropogenic mercury emissions. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that large-scale gold production accounts for 6 to 7% of the artificial mercury emissions, while mining and processing of other metals will contribute an additional 10% It is.