We've been in the hope of persuading the government to basically come to their senses and respect the contracted work and to let us go about our business of developing this project to be a mine. It's not just because of the illegal miners but the highly dangerous methods they use to recover the gold. Primitive equipment and labour intensive methods are used to extract the ore, but then highly toxic mercury is added to the mix. It's a method that threatens not just the lives of the miners but future generations and the environment. Mercury is used to separate the gold from the pulverised ore.
Miners working without gloves or masks inhale the poisonous fumes.
An estimated 50 to 100 tonnes of mercury is used each year. Much of it leeches into the waterways and the food chain. The first symptoms of poisoning include tingling and tremors, leading to personality changes and coma. Children are born with lower intelligence. It causes birth defects.