CEA-Mines and Society, Higher Institute of Mines and Geology of Boke
Guinea
Read more about the Project!Problem Statement
Artisanal Gold Mining (AGM) is practiced by 5-6M people in Africa. In full expansion, AGM suffers from practices based on the absence of planning, the use of rudimentary tools and the uncontrolled use of toxic chemicals. There is no quantitative data on the impact on the environment due to AGM. This research will provide artisanal miners with essential practical basis for better management of mining techniques, identify and prevent the risks involved in artisanal gold mining while ensuring environmentally sustainable development.
Progress Highlights
In Guinea and Mali, the team carried out: Identification of gold panning techniques and technologies in place on sites, understanding the perception of local communities and gold miners on the impacts of gold panning on the environment, and the main causes of landslides; and collection of samples (sediments, soil and water)
Key Findings
This research shows that gold is mined in an artisanal manner using chemicals products that are dangerous for human and environmental health. Also, it shows that landslides are mainly due to the human factor (behavior of actors and lack of regulation of the sector taking into account safety).
Potential Impact
The knowledge gained from this research will be transferred to public authorities, communities, and gold miners to minimize the risk of accidents, particularly landslides on gold panning sites; to improve the management of AGM and should ultimately provide solutions to promote smoother gold mining, with less impact on the environment.
Summary
Artisanal Gold Mining (AGM) which is practiced by millions of people in Africa suffers from practices based on the absence of planning, the use of rudimentary tools and the uncontrolled use of toxic chemicals. Dr Konaté’s research will provide artisanal miners with the essential practical basis for better management of mining techniques as well as to identify and prevent the risks involved in maximizing the recovery of gold using inexpensive, accessible processes requiring less effort while ensuring environmentally sustainable development.
Grantee Description
Dr Ahmed Amara Konaté is a 2022 ARISE fellow, and is a senior researcher, lecturer, and assistant professor at the Higher Institute of Mines and Geology of Boké in Guinea. Education wise, he received is PhD in Applied geophysics from China university of Geoscience (CUG-Wuhan) in 2015 and earned his habitation in Geological Resources and Geological Engineering from CUG-Wuhan (in 2017). Dr Konaté’s current research looks to develop new approaches on the resolution of environmental and societal issues related to mining activities in West African States.
Project: Multi-scale study of artisanal gold mining processes in West Africa for developing better safe practices
The Mining Environment project that he is developing aims through a multidisciplinary approach (Mining, Hydrogeology, Geophysics, Geotechnics,...) to allow an objective characterization of the impacts and their evolution over time, and to improve AGM techniques. Multiscale satellite imagery analysis, laboratory and pilot scale studies will be used to develop an AGM model that is profitable, secure and environmentally friendly. In full expansion, AGM suffers from practices based on the absence of planning, the use of rudimentary tools and the uncontrolled use of toxic chemicals. There is no quantitative data on the impact on the environment due to AGM. The knowledge resulting from this research will help improve the management of AGM and should ultimately be able to provide solutions to promote smoother gold mining, with less impact on the environment. The methodologies that will be developed during this research will be extrapolated to different sites in West Africa in collaboration with researchers working in these areas. This work will also allow a transfer of knowledge from the academic world to public authorities, and gold miners, and will allow a transfer of skills and integration into the universities working within the ACE Partner.
