Minister for Minerals says Sudan would end imports of mercury by 2020

11:46 PM July, 25 2017

Sudanese Online
Sudan News Agency-Khartoum-Sudan
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Khartoum, 24 July (SUNA)- The Minister for Mineral, professor Hashim Ali Salim, said new alternative for mercury now widely use in gold extraction would have to be brought and the current use for mercury be ended by the advent of 2020.

The Minister who was addressing a gathering of traditional gold mining workers, in Obidia, Berber locality of Shamalia State, has stressed that there are many other alternatives that could be used to better extract gold in mining operations, and that mercury has to be abandoned due to its health hazards.

He said one of the method devised by a Turkish company is the use of water in gold extraction from traditional mining areas.

The minister has also said no child labor would be tolerated in those areas as a bill has been passed banning the practice.

The Minister said he was visiting the area to get a firsthand information about the practice of traditional gold mining which, he said, is now providing work for over 5 million household in the country.

The governor of the State Gen Hatim Al Wasilah on his part has said his region which is the largest gold producing area in the country, will no longer allow the use of children in gold mining and that any company that would fail to observe this ban would be sacked from gold mining in his state.
Ma/ma