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Sudan renews commitment to end mercury use in gold mining

Xinhua, May 31, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sudan's Minerals Minister Ahmed Mohamed Sadiq Al-Karuri renewed on Monday Sudan's commitment to environmental requirements related to ending the use of mercury in gold mining.

Addressing a Sudanese-Russian workshop on reducing and eliminating mercury effects, the Sudanese minister said his ministry is working on a national plan to remove mercury which will subsequently be submitted to the Council of Ministers for final approval.

He noted that his ministry adopted measures to gradually address the issue of mercury use, starting with safe utilization then moving towards introducing alternatives.

"We intend to completely ban mercury use according to the Miyamata Convention which is planning a complete mercury ban by 2020," the minister said, noting that immediate banning of mercury use will presently negatively affect miners.

He further declared that there are 59 companies operating in the field of traditional mining wastes, saying "the purpose behind licencing these companies is to dispose of mercury."

Mercury is mainly used by traditional gold miners in Sudan, where, according to the Sudanese ministry of minerals, there are over two million Sudanese employees in traditional mining, producing 80 percent of the country's gold.

During 2016's first quarter, Sudan's gold production reached 22.3 tons, a three percent increase from the same period last year, where companies produced 3.4 tons against 18.8 tons for traditional mining.

The Sudanese government had previously anticipated the country's gold production to reach 100 tons in 2016, positioning Sudan as the second gold producing country in Africa and the ninth worldwide.

In February earlier this year the United States drafted and introduced a resolution to the United Nations Security Council demanding sanctions be imposed on gold exports produced in Sudan.

However, the council postponed its examination of the drafted resolution. Enditem