Concerns over exposure to mercury as more women involved in gold extraction

Women in the mining sector in Migori County are at a high risk of being adversely affected by exposure to mercury, which is a major chemical used for gold extraction.

While men perform digging activities, majority of women are involved in the extraction process. 

Data from the Migori County artisanal miners association indicated that approximately 5000 women in the mining sector in are interacting with the mercury during the extraction process.

Majority of the women are not using any protective gear. 

Eunice Atieno who has been in the mining industry for over ten years said she has been using mercury for the extraction of the gold.

Atieno said majority of the women involved in the gold extraction are not using any protective gear because they are cannot afford them.

The miner said they have only been limiting the time they interact with the mercury based on the training they received previously in a bid to reduce the exposure. She said some of her fellow miners have succumbed to diseases linked to mercury. 

Dorothy Achieng said they are aware of the dangers of the mercury which they use frequently in the mining sector but they have to use it because there are no alternative methods of extracting gold.

Exposure to mercury can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and stomach; cough, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, insomnia, irritability, indecision, headache, weakness or exhaustion, and weight loss. 

Migori County artisanal miners’ association chairperson Kephas Ojuka said they have been able to sensitize the miners on best practices so that they don’t get exposed.

Migori County executive committee member in the department of Environment, Disaster and Natural resources Caleb Opondi said the county government in collaboration with the national government and other partners are already working on a plan to provide an alternative source of gold extraction that is safer.

Despite Kenya having made a commitment under the Minamata convention signed in 2013 in Japan, to end use of mercury in the mining sector ,the country has not given an alternative safer method of gold extraction that can replace mercury.