Air quality is becoming the reference parameter in the industrialized Countries for both the social significance in terms of quality of life itself, and the scientific interest in the development of apparatuses and methodologies addressed to its improvement up to the desired standards. Odours are one of the major issues in the management of industrial plants for the negative impacts they may have on the population exposed. Therefore, odours must be identified, characterized and measured, and new techniques are currently proposed and implemented to control their emissions.
Objective of the current investigation is to develop a methodology to measure odour concentration in the environment using a novel prototype of electronic nose (e.nose) system, equipped with metal-oxide based gas sensors which are sensitive to a wide range of volatile gases. However, given an industrial process, sensitivity of the relevant sensors spreads over a wide range, as much as specificity. Therefore, it is mandatory to select the most appropriate sensors for a particular activity/process to an accurate estimation of odour concentration. It is also been reported in literature that if the number of sensors is large, the discrimination indices in the analysis of the main components are generally poor, whereas better discrimination indices are obtained when the number of sensors is reduced to 4–6.
Fuzzy logic is an important tool used to manage a significant amount of environmental data. This work reports for the first time the application of fuzzy logic tools in the architecture of the e.nose for the measurement of environmental odour. The study describes a methodology for the characterization of the odour concentration emitted by different industrial activities using a novel prototype of e.nose with an architecture based on fuzzy logic, with the aim of measuring the odour in a faster and more efficient way. The work shows the correlation between concentrations of the odour emissions, characterized by dynamic olfactometry according to EN13725:2003, and real time measurements obtained by the novel e.nose.

Cleaner production, sustainable utilization of resources, maximizing the efficiency of resources beneficiation and zero-waste manufacturing have become the major principles of industrial production. Mining and mineral processing have been under drastic pressure towards the implementation of these principles. Industrial symbiosis is recognized as a vital tool in minimizing the environmental footprint of manufacturing industries and as the most rapidly developing area in the industrial ecology. It represents an effective cooperation between different industries, preferably located at manageable distances, for enhancing the environmental performance, economic benefits and competability of the cooperating sides and minimizing the use of water, energy and raw materials. Considering the waste of a particular branch of production as an input for another application, it provides significant advantages to benefiting parties. Mining and mineral processing are amongst the most significant industries for possible industrial symbiosis partnerships since the materials considered as 'waste' or 'gangue' after mining/mineral processing are naturally input materials for proper manufacturing facilities. Marble production and coal fired thermal power plants were identified as matching industries for symbiosis in this study. In marble production, the overall efficiencies might be as low as 20-30 % and enormous amounts of 'waste' is produced in different forms. Coal fired thermal power plants, on the other hand, are one of the biggest consumers of limestone. SO2 control is a major issue in these plants and finally, ground limestone is sprayed in a slurry form for capturing SO2 in flue gas desulphurization units. Muðla is the leading marble quarrying district in Turkey, producing approximately 2.5 million m3 marble annually. Muðla is also distinguished having three coal fired thermal plants (Yatagan, Yenikoy, Kemerkoy) with a total capacity of 1600 MW. All three thermal power plants have flue gas desulphurization units that use limestone for SO2 abatement. Power production and marble quarrying in the city provides the perfect match for industrial symbiosis, relying on the use of marble wastes as an alternative SO2 sorbent. Wastes of five different marble types from Muðla were evaluated and compared with limestones currently in use in thermal power plants with respect to physical (specific surface area, grindability) and chemical (composition, dissolution behavior) features as well as their capabilities to adsorb SO2. Results showed that the extent of calcite and dolomite is critical for the marble wastes to display comparable dissolution characteristics to limestones. Also, all marble waste samples showed comparable surface areas to limestones. Lower Bond Work Index of the marble wastes than limestones were encountered as another advantage of marble waste utilization over limestones. When the SO2 adsorption capability of the marble wastes were identified using TG-FTIR, it was observed that the wastes of some marble types showed better SO2 capture efficiency than limestones. Consequently, although it might be misleading to consider the wastes of all marble types appropriate for use in SO2 control, those with comparable calcite content could replace limestone usage. Thus, marble quarrying-thermal power production in Muðla is strongly anticipated as a potential opportunity for an effective industrial symbiosis application.

The ASGM activity in West Nusa Tenggara (WNT) Province, Indonesia, began in mid-2009 and the use of mercury is avoidable, since it is effective and affordable. Many researchers reported that the use of mercury does affect the environment quality, thus human health as the end of life chain. Regular monitoring of the mercury concentration on amalgamation tailings is very important as an indicator of Hg contamination potential on water and soil when the tailings were discharging to environment. The aim of this research was to determine the potential of Hg use on ASGM that would impact the environment and human health. The research was a field research where sampling of amalgamation tailings had been collected from some ASGM spots in WNT Province for determining the THg on the substances. The results showed that after one year of ASGM activity at Lantung district, the THg on amalgamation tailings were from 62,91 – 950,67 ppm. In Central Lombok district, after 2 years of ASGM activity, the concentration of THg on amalgamation tailings were from 266,06 to 692,35 ppm and from 53,90 to 776,70 ppm at West Sumbawa. Furthermore, after 3 years of mercury use at Sekotong District, the THg were ranging from 741-7874 ppm. The average of mercury used in WNT was 200-500 gram/cylinder. The results indicated that the primary environmental risk associated with ASGM in WNT Province was the waste discharged into the environment which contains variable concentrations of mercury and other metals. When these elements are released into the environment in a soluble form, it can contaminate soil, water and plants. This exposes the human population of the ASGM communities to unacceptable environmental risk. Proper tailings dams were urgently needed, in order to manage the contaminant burden of this waste and to stop the uncontrolled discharge of contaminants into the wider environment.

ASGM wrap up

Sukinda Valley, the 4th most polluted region in the world, present in the triangular sketch of Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar district of Odisha state, contributes to around 97% of the total chromium deposits in India. Among the 17 mining leases in the valley, 13 are operational. Of the 13 operational mines, 11 are opencast and rest underground. The extensive production of chromite has led to the contamination of surface and ground water of the valley. Between the stable atomic states of chromium i.e., Cr(III) and Cr(VI), the later one is harmful and carcinogenic in nature. Around 2.3 million people are affected by the hexavalent chromium contaminated water in Sukinda Valley. Thus, we undertook a study to assess the concentration of Cr(VI) in and around the mining areas of Sukinda Valley. The present study provides a detailed information regarding the groundwater contamination due to extensive mining activity and mitigation measures from the hazards of Cr(VI). I collected 103 ground water samples from various water consumption sources viz., open wells, bore wells and tube wells within the mine lease area. The samples were analysed for Cr(VI) following diphenylcarbazide method. The Cr(VI) varied from 0.004mg/L to 0.652mg/L. All the collected samples contained Cr(VI). However, 15 samples exceeded the permissible limits of 0.05mg/L prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India. The sustainable chromite mining in the valley is a major issue so far as the concentration of Cr(VI) is concerned. The production strategies in the mining need to be modified and mining activity below the ground water table should be done by following advanced and sustainable mining techniques. All mine leases in Sukinda Valley need to make a combined effort for sustainable mining and prevent ground water contamination by the carcinogenic Cr(VI).

Artisanal Gold Mining (AGM) is proliferating rapidly all over the world. There are 16 million artisanal gold miners in more than 70 developing countries producing around 400 tonnes/a of gold. The concept of co-existence of large-scale gold mining (LGM) companies with artisanal gold miners (AGM) as a way to reduce conflicts is not new and had been used in many sites.
Four types of agreements between LGM and AGM are discussed:
1. The company selects an area and lets the miners work without any technical assistance.
2. The company selects an area and provides technical assistance and delegate to AGM the management and operation of the mine and plant.
3. The company trains the miners working in their concessions and buy their ores.
4. The company works with the artisanal miners in partnership and share the results.
The first model is the least desirable since the company has no control about the pollution created by AGM. The second model seems ideal but, when something wrong happens, the liability still belongs to the company. In the third model, the company establishes a minimum gold grade acceptable to buy the ore. Problems with the credibility of the chemical analyses create disagreements. The fourth process is a total partnership between AGM and LGM. Both partners share the costs and risks of the operation. The mineral title is transferred to a new company established by the LGM and AGM. The company establishes the mine and processing plant and trains the AGM to be operators under the LGM management. The operation will be based on a small-scale mining engineering approach, utilizing best practice engineering to under the resource modelling, mining engineering approach and mineral processing plant, which will be tailored to the AGM operation using clean technology. Education and training are a key component. Under this arrangement, it is possible to create a long-term sustainable approach to the mining operation, which will also help drive economic diversification planning for affected local communities.

Normally, a mineral asset cannot be used as it is extracted from nature on their deposits. Therefore, they need to be subjected to some type of processing, aiming their industrial exploitation. The expansion of the needs description makes relevant the science that works with processing, one of them called treatment of ores. The treatment consists of operations applied to mineral assets aimed to modifying the particle size, the relative concentration of the types of minerals present or shape, without, however, modifying the physical or chemical identity of the minerals. As a technique of the subject, students of the technical course in Mining from 'Escola Estadual Padre Jeronimo Lauwen' in the city of Santa Luzia, Paraiba, undertook a work of building rustic ore processing unit models that represented companies and simulated the operation of industrial plants. The methodology allowed the students to understand an ore processing unit operation. The educational practice used allowed the students to better comprehend not only the operation and the equipment used in a processing unit, but also the technical importance of each element. The relationship between the creative team was also improved on the basis of the common goal. <br />KEYWORDS: Model; Treatment of ores; Education

DISCUSSION

DISCUSSION

For so many years, economic development has been implemented as a way to pursue communities' sustainability. Such approach leads to economic dependency rather than economic opportunities. Traditionally, mining companies invest in the economic development model as part of their Social Responsibility, yet it does not always result in economic benefits for communities. A good example of this is the community of Cerro de San Pedro, in Mexico. Throughout the time, the practice of the traditional economic approach implemented by mining companies has not only created an unhealthy dependency, but also led to investment in the wrong sectors. As a consequence, the current infrastructure of the community consists of abandoned hotels, unsuccessful greenhouses and empty farms. Local new businesses have not been started, and the created infrastructure has not been fully seized. The answer to promote opportunities relies on focusing not on the ideas of the planners, but on the ideas, passion, energy and imagination of local entrepreneurs. Economic diversification has to start with entrepreneurs willing to come forward with their ideas. For this to happen, entrepreneur-friendly infrastructure and environment have to be created. Communities that can successfully create the virtuous circle of economic development can both produce infrastructure projects and have them properly and fully utilized and maintained. They are capable of developing timely projects based on the needs of entrepreneurs. When a community like Cerro de San Pedro has this balanced model of economic development securely in place, larger numbers of people explore entrepreneurship and existing resources and programs are better utilized. This paper presents a comparison between economic development and economic diversification taking as an example the community of Cerro de San Pedro.
Key words: Sustainability, Mining, Community, Economic Development

The municipality of Picui, located in the Northeast region of Brazil, offers, as one of the main economic activities, mineral extractive activities that work as the basis of livelihood for many local families. As well as in neighboring municipalities, Picui also suffers from long periods of droughts, preventing people who reside in rural area to practice family farming, being forced to seek sustenance through mineral activity. The mineral exploration is performed, generally, in open pit mining, in pegmatite and granite bodies. The execution in pegmatite bodies aims to extract their minerals such as feldspar, quartz, mica, beryl and tantalite. On the other hand, the granite bodies are plowed aiming the production of paving blocks of streets. The marketing of these products is made by COOPICUI and by middlemen in the region. The mineral activity in the municipality is developed in small mines without any environmental planning and tilling, where small-scale miners use rudimentary tools and techniques to exploit mineral substances useful to the market. The lack of mineral activity planning in the municipality of Picui has caused several environmental impacts, notably, in addition to the strong visual impact of cavas, the deposition of tailings which are placed in inappropriate environments, causing fauna and flora extinction and neighboring water resources siltation. Mitigating measures to try to minimize this problem should be adopted, like, for example, the hiring of technical expertise and awareness of the small miner, once the opencast mining is a potential activity causing major environmental impacts.
KEYWORDS: Extractive activities, pegmatite and granite bodies, environmental impacts.

Adam Rolfe, Project Officer at Estelle Levin Limited, will provide an insight into the work and approach of the company to Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM), and how this fits within ELL's work in Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) and sustainable sourcing of minerals more generally. In this, the year that the company celebrates its fifth anniversary, ELL is honoured to be invited to share the lessons that it has drawn from its broad ranging experience across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
At ELL, our starting point is one of respect for artisanal miners. We admire the artisanal miner's strength and stamina in the face of what is typically exhausting and dangerous work. To us, ASM is a huge opportunity for building a resilient future for miners' families, communities, nations and states. Whilst we do not celebrate the often deplorable conditions in which artisanal miners operate, we are cognisant of the fact that mining can bring hope and dignity where chronic poverty has degraded a person's self-worth and social standing. Viewed through this lenses, ASM is no longer a "problem to be solved" but rather a "solution to be utilised". In short, we recognise the constructive role that ASM can play in the development of a diverse mineral sector.
What our approach means in practice will be considered in more details through an exploration of our work across our "five pillars" of activity: Sustainable Supply Chains, Conflict Minerals, Community Engagement, ASM and the Environment, and Mineral Sector Development. The presentation will explore the intersection and overlap between these domains, emphasising the importance of our 360 degree multistakeholder vantage of the sector: Knowledge leads to understanding, understanding to mutualism, and mutualism to the production of resilient development strategies to the benefit of all stakeholders.

The achievement for products with high quality has conducting the mining industry to search new routes of technological process. In this context, the concentration of a typical friable itabirite iron ore was evaluated in Brazil with the aim to investigate the potential concentration by magnetic separation and spiral concentrator. Two different samples were tested, one composed by drillcores intervals from geological drillholes and a large outcrop sample. The energy consumption was determined in a bench scale test using Rowland equation to small size mills. The friable ore achieves an outstanding performance for both spiral and magnetic concentration, obtaining a final concentrate of 68,7% and 67,8% iron grade for the drillcores intervals. The energy consumption was considered very low and the evaluation shows that from a sample with 45%>1,0 mm to obtain a grinding product with 8%>1,0 mm, 3,94 Kwh/t were required.

This paper is based on a study for Fairtrade that develops ways to sustain the impact of the Fairtrade Gold pilot programme in East Africa and expand the reach of responsible mining practices, building a sustainable supply chain of gold from the region. One potential way of expanding the reach of the Fairtrade Gold pilot could be through a 'Centres of Excellence'. A Centre of Excellence could promote responsible mining in line with the Fairtrade standard for gold, using certified mining organizations as beacons of best practice or 'Centres of Excellence' for the rest of the sector. The paper assesses the feasibility and potential impact of a Fairtrade Gold 'Centres of Excellence' programme in East Africa, including its potential structure, scope, operational management and funding. The paper argues that a Centre of Excellence in artisanal and small-scale mining is too ambitious; rather, Fairtrade should develop a less formal Learning & Training Centre, which can allow artisanal miners to build their knowledge through a train the trainer and peer-to-peer learning programme.

In Nigeria, >90% of all solid minerals mining is informal and dominated by artisanal and small-scale operations. Within the sector, artisanal gold mining (AGM) supports over 500,000 livelihoods, where unregulated activities have resulted in land degradation, soil erosion and chemical pollution, endangering human health and the environment. In 2010, epidemics of lead-induced child mortality and severe maternal health impacts were observed in Zamfara State, Northern Nigeria. The outbreak in Zamfara represents the worst case of lead poisoning in modern history, presenting unique challenges to mitigate the adverse and potentially synergistic effects resulting from co-exposure to mercury. Recent epidemics of child mortality in Kagara, Niger State (reported in May 2015) highlight the ongoing and disproportionate environmental health burdens born by disadvantaged communities. Despite widespread prevalence of AGM as a rural livelihood strategy in impoverished northern regions of Nigeria, awareness of the adverse impacts of mercury and lead exposure remains extremely low. Due to its toxicity, persistence, and capacity for long-range transport, mercury has become a pollutant of global concern, addressed directly by the Minamata Convention. From a policy perspective, this paper probes the role of Minamata in prioritizing contaminated sites (Article 12) and addressing co-exposure of multiple heavy metals through geographically representative monitoring and modelling (Article 19). In coordination with the Federal Ministry of Environment and Forest Research Institute of Nigeria, we apply systems analysis tools to assess risks based on elemental properties, prioritize contaminated artisanal mine sites and recommend strategies to minimize exposure pathways through plant-based remediation techniques.

Western Kachchh region in India is undergoing massive industrialization thereby increasing pressures on various natural resources of the regions. Of the 21 minerals found in Gujarat state, Kachchh district is endowed with lignite, bauxite, bentonite, limestone, kaolinite, gypsum, siderite, sandstone, trap, sand and brick-earth. The region has several opencast mines (lignite, bauxite and limestone), and indeed creates conducive situation for various industries to come up in the area, and indeed more than two dozen mineral based industries have been functioning in the region. Lignite reserve of the district is 300 MT locked up in different locations spreading in approximately 1200 km2, which has attracted large mining companies to set up their units in the region. Major concentrations of these economically valuable minerals (lignite, bauxite, bentonite, and fossilized limestone) are located in the Western part of Kachchh district. The region is unique in having dryland ecosystems and its associated biodiversity (Narayan Sarovar Wildlife Sanctuary, Lala Bustard Sanctuary). This kind of aggressive industrialization could be a threat for sustenance of the unique ecosystems in the region. The area has a large population of rural poor, and is dependent on the natural resource base of the region for their livelihood and sustenance. This conflicting interest of industrial development and natural resource base calls for a holistic management approach to achieve a trade-off between developmental imperatives and sustainable management of natural resource. Thus, it is imperative to have an effective environmental plan for the area, which included various environmental segments and aspects.
The present paper briefs about the outcomes of a geo-hydrological assessment of the Western Kachchh region carried out during 2008-2010. In total, 53 well were monitored for pre and post monsoon season during 2008. The wells were prioritized based on their functional status, and other criteria were: i) type of well, ii) total depth of water, iii) usage pattern, iv) usage type, and v) geomorphology and landform characteristics. Water level fluctuations in the well were recorded during both the seasons and water samples were also collected for understating the ionic composition. The basic characterization included pH, EC, TDS, and the chemical parameters included alkalinity and hardness. In addition, cations (Ca, Mg, Na and Fe) and anions (HCO3, Cl and NO3) were also measured in the water following standard methods. Primary and secondary data were used for preparing various thematic maps to understand the geo&#8208;hydrological characteristics of the study area, water level and water quality maps. Field data were plotted on base map and subjected to triangle method, and subsequently Iso&#8208;water level and Iso&#8208;TDS contour maps were drawn. In this case Iso&#8208;water level was prepared for the year 2008 where as Iso-TDS maps were prepared for pre and post monsoon season of 2008. In addition recharge potential map was also prepared for the area by integrating thematic maps on lithology, landform and drainage maps. A great variation in Static Water Level (SWL) could be noticed, as the SWL in Akri Mota cluster was from 02 to 06 meters and in Mata-na-Madh cluster the SWL was 10 meters and at certain locations it was as low as 70 meters. Further the total water demand of the area was estimated to be 15.47 Mm3. The order of sectors (major players / water consumers) in term of decreasing water demand in the area was Agriculture (12.45 Mm3) > Industries (1.40 Mm3) > Livestock (1.03) > Human being (0.59 Mm3). Most of the wells under the study experiences around 66% improvement in the TDS level during post-monsoon. This signifies the need for proper land management and restoration, which has been grossly affected by mining and associated activities.

Artisanal Gold Mining (AGM) in 2013 accounted for approximately 12 to 15% of all the gold produced in the world. In many countries, the main method of extraction is whole ore gold amalgamation using mercury in a grinding media. This technique loses to the environment 30 to 50% of the mercury added into the mill and only around 30% of the gold is extracted. This study provides a technical assessment of a tailings deposit from artisanal miners in Costa Rica. About 65,000 tonnes of tailings with 22.73 g Au/tonne is available at the site in which 66% of the gold is below 0.044mm indicating that the majority of the gold particles is fine. With a bench-scale Knelson centrifuge, a tailings sample passing 3 times without grinding resulted in 12% of recovery, 1% mass recovery and grade of 210 g Au/tonne. The GRG (gravity with grinding of the tailings) test resulted in an accumulated recovery of 42%, grade of 50.3 g Au/tonne and mass recovery of 6%. Flotation tests of the gravity separation tailings using Aerofloat 208 obtained gold recovery of 91% with mass recovery of 28%. Although the use of cyanide is not allowed in Costa Rica, the cyanidation of the concentrates with grinding resulted in 87% gold recovery in 12 hours of processing. The idea is to transport the concentrates 200 km to Nicaragua to be leached with cyanide. Furthermore, the data generated have assisted the partner company in the design and deployment of a small scale tailings reprocessing facility with capacity of 80 tpd using an iCON 350 centrifuge and 6 Denver-type mechanical flotation cells. The company's aim is to both reprocess artisanal tailings as well as provide local miners with an alternative to whole ore mercury amalgamation. <br />KEYWORDS: Gold recovery, Artisanal mining, Small-scale processing, Costa Rica

Over the last several years, there has been a growing awareness of the criticality of elements we utilize in chemical products and also consumer goods. The reserves of these elements are depleting at a rapid rate and are being quickly dispersed throughout our environment. Many of these important unique elements have low recycling rates and recapturing is both challenging and costly. As such, it is essential to develop new sustainable routes for the use and recovery of these elements. Herein, two such routes highlight the importance of adopting a sustainable, holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to the recovery of all elements.
Recently, it has been demonstrated that plants can accumulate metals in nanoparticulate forms through phytoextraction. We demonstrate the use of plants to recover metals and their transformation into supported metal nanoparticle based catalysts for use in a wide range of applications. The effective production of such materials by plants could open new doors in catalyst development and present solutions to critical element availability.
Polysaccharides including starch are non-toxic, biodegradable, possess polyfunctionality and are found in nearly every geographical location on the planet. The development of tunable, nano-structured and mesoporous carbon monoliths derived from waste polysaccharides will open new doors to adsorbents. The surface chemistry, functionality and surface polarity of these materials can be controlled through varying the temperature of preparation, thus making them ideally suited for the recovery of a wide variety of elements. These materials have been demonstrated to not only adsorb metals but also offer an effective method for separation and selective elemental recovery.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the G8 Research Councils Initiative on Multilateral Research Funding and the EPSRC for their financial contribution.

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) utilizes several toxic chemicals in the process and contributes to emissions and releases of heavy metals to the environment. ASGM has been the primary economic activity in the Portovelo & Zaruma mining district, El Oro state, south Ecuador for more than two decades. Large quantities of gold ore have been processed using rudimentary techniques and toxic chemicals, resulting in alarming levels of heavy metals in multiple environmental compartments of urban and rural areas (i.e. soil, water and air). Food is usually the primary source of human exposure to heavy metals. Chronic intake above safe levels can cause several health hazards in humans. Anthropogenic contamination of vegetables may arise by industrial emissions, irrigation, pesticides, harvesting and post-harvest practices. Accumulation occurs by assimilation of gases and suspended particles by leaves and root absorption in heavily polluted soils or sediments. Therefore, the origin of crops and the ecological, social and economic contexts that determine people's access to food and consumption behavior may influence exposure through the diet. Differential food sources may create unequal vulnerabilities to intake of toxic contaminants. In this project, we evaluate the potential health risks by heavy metal intake via food in four communities of the Portovelo & Zaruma mining district. We tested the hypothesis that heavy metal exposure differs between food sources from contrasting ecosystem integrity levels. We characterize food sources (i.e. types of local markets and production systems) and assess potential contamination pathways in the studied landscapes using spatial modeling tools. We compare predictive spatial patterns with heavy metal concentrations in food and soil samples. We discuss the links between ecosystem structure, buffering capacity and resilience to contamination aiming at informing policies for mitigation and remediation actions to reduce human health risks in these ASGM communities.

The mining sector is a major economic driver throughout the developing world. Many developing countries invite foreign investment to develop their natural resources, and in turn, they receive a steady stream of tax and royalty revenues to government treasuries. Many of the regions have a long history of artisanal and small-scale mining, and mining is an entrenched part of regional economies. Paradoxically, the regions with a tradition of mining are also the ones that have expressed strong opposition to large-scale mining. This paper examines causes of this paradox from three case-study countries in the developing world. Throughout the case studies, pre-existing populations of artisanal and small-scale miners complicate the entry of conventional large-scale miners into regions which have rich resources. The subsequent competition for resources can lead to social conflict, putting the operations of both small and large miners at risk. This paper concludes with potential solutions to this conflict observed in the case studies.

Approximately 10% of the global population, 780 million people, lack access to clean water. This situation results in over 3.4 million deaths annually from water-related illness. Over 99% of these deaths occur in developing countries, the majority stemming from diarrhea, the second largest cause of death in children under five. Providing clean drinking water to those who lack it in rural and underdeveloped parts of the world is a social and technological challenge. Meeting these challenges requires a solution that is easy to implement, affordable, constructed from local materials, and which creates positive economic outcomes as a result of local economic diversification and the empowerment local citizens. Ceramic Pot Water Filters (CPWF) consist of bucket-shaped containers constructed from clay and sawdust. This design creates a porous filter capable of filtering particulate, bacteria and some viruses from water. To improve the efficacy of the filters, each CPWF is coated with colloidal silver, adding an antimicrobial factor to the pot so it can remove 99.8% of bacteria, thus resulting in a 50% decrease in incidences of diarrhea. CPWF are currently manufactured in 50 factories in over 30 developing countries around the world. Invented in 1981 by Dr. Fernando Mazariegos, CPWF production techniques and technology have been promoted since 1998 by the international NGO, Potters for Peace. Their entrepreneurial model departs from standard aid models and focuses, instead, on the empowerment of local people through education, technology and the formation of business partnerships through which develop private and co-operative filter plants that supply the local community with CPWF to be used at home. Our paper describes how CPWF works, presents examples of successful CPWF operations that have effectively decreased water-borne diseases in developing areas, and outlines the social, technological and economic hurdles CPWF currently faces. In addition, the paper explores alternatives for the collaboration between NGOs, mining companies, academia and governments so that they can join together to address the challenges of meeting global water needs while promoting local economic development.

Worldwide Artisanal Gold Miners (AGM) use significant amounts of mercury, accounting for more than 30% of all industrial uses. UNEP (2013) estimates that AGM is emitting and releasing 1400 tonnes/a of mercury.
Processing centres were established in the 1990s in Portovelo, Ecuador to provide miners with gold extraction services. Miners amalgamate a portion of the gold, but centre owners retain the residual Hg-contaminated tailings using cyanidation to recover the remaining 60 - 80% of the gold.
Based on surveys of 52 out of 87 centres, 1.1-1.85 tonnes of metallic mercury contained in over 880,000 tonnes of tailings are discharged into the Puyango-Tumbes River annually. This mercury represents a loss of approximately 14% of the total mercury used by AGM/a in the region. An additional 19% of the mercury is lost when amalgam is evaporated. An average of 5.7 tonnes of cyanide per month (a total of over 4,500 tonnes/a) is consumed by approximately 68 centres.
In total, 39 river-bank sediments and 31 soils were sampled. Mercury contamination in sediment exceeded the CCME TEL - Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment threshold effect level in 23 sites. The highest level detected was 30.79 mg/kg in sediment; all soil samples were below 2 mg/kg. An abandoned tailings pit recorded a mercury level of 744.2 mg/kg. Elevated mercury levels in sediment were detected 160 km distant from source, demonstrating that AGM-discharged mercury can flow long distances attached to particulate matter.
Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Lead and Zinc levels in water, sediment and soil samples were also found to be above safe standards at many sites. In sediments, Arsenic levels were exceeded at 31 sites, the highest recorded was 12,580 mg/kg; Cadmium – 8 sites (<422.2 mg/kg); Copper – 36 sites (<3,741 mg/kg), Lead – 12 sites (<2,468 mg/kg); and Zinc – 22 sites (<6,184 mg/kg).
A total of 25 fish samples were taken from 3 sites in the river system 45 to 93 km from the source. Dorado fish recorded mercury levels ranging from 0.02 to 0.99 mg/kg; Aquila fish (a bottom feeder) had levels from 0.18 to 0.98 mg/kg.
KEYWORDS: Ecuador, Puyango-Tumbes, mercury, ASGM, AGM, miners, mining, heavy metals, cyanide, water, sediments

Current discourses on reducing mercury use in artisanal gold mining suggest the need for greater attention to the social dynamics of miners, and the cultural, political and economic aspects of mining. While social anthropology is well-positioned to meet this need, to date, anthropologists have given the subject limited attention. This paper presents preliminary conclusions from the author's research to highlight the potential role of anthropology in attending to artisanal mining as a subject of enquiry. This research is based on three months of qualitative ethnographic fieldwork in Antioquia, Colombia, using participant observation, semi structured interviews and visual anthropology techniques. A post-humanist theoretical approach allowed the researcher to examine the roles of human and non-human actors in mining networks. Following mercury as the primary actor reveals social, political, and technical impacts including those of ethnicity and gender. This study aims to bridge current mining ethnographies (which focus on artisanal miners but not the activity nor the materiality of mining), and scientific and technical discourses (which focus on mining and its materiality, but not miners). This more inclusive, nuanced and relational approach to the networks created by artisanal mining may contribute to the development of culturally and contextually appropriate mining policies and practices.

Conventional mining, to extract metals economically, requires high grade ore and enormous investment. It also generates huge quantity of over burden / tailings. These tailings may contain other metals that could not be economically recovered by the mineral processing plants due to low concentrations. However, techniques making use of appropriate plant species comes handy in extracting metals in low concentrations distributed in low grade ore or mill tailings. Phytoremediation is another cost-effective, environmental friendly technology that can be employed for treatment of metal contaminated sites. It is reportedly feasible for exploiting the ores uneconomical to mine through conventional methods. For success of these technologies, continuous development and better understanding of the processes are imperative. In this context, we examine the present status of technology deployment, phytotechnologies for the extraction of metals by phytoremediation and implications for future research in this area.

The concept of using plants to remediate or mine metals from soil can no longer be considered novel. Initial reports in the 1970s and 1980s have been proven around the world through research trials and commercial operations and today there is a well-established International Phytotechnology Society. But never before has the idea of phytoextraction been so relevant to the minerals industry. Phytoextraction is being used to promote sustainability development within artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities, to green chemistry, and to new technology sectors that exploit active compounds in biological tissues for medical gains.
Some of the most exciting innovations in phytoextraction have been led by Prof. John Meech and the University of British Columbia. The concept of using plants enriched in gold as a catalyst in automotive reactions was first described at an IPMM (Intelligent Processing and Manufacturing of Materials) conference in Japan in 2003. Nine years later, this same idea received over 1 million euros of funding from the G8’s Material Efficiency Programme. The idea of nickel phytomining is gaining traction: at a workshop at the University of Queensland in July 2014 consensus was reached that the time was right for a professional phytomining society.
This paper will review development in phytoextraction with particular focus on phytomining, and emphasise the relevance and application of the idea to sustainable mining in the 21st Century.

Over eighty artisanal-small gold processing plants in Portovelo, Ecuador dot the banks of the Puyango-Tumbes River watershed. Around 0.65 t of mercury and 6000 t of sodium cyanide have been dumped annually into the local river system that travels hundreds of kilometers downstream into Peru. The flow of mercury, cyanide and other heavy metals such as arsenic into Peru has created an international incident requiring an immediate solution. To stop tailings effluent from escaping into the river, the Ecuadorian Government has decided to close and relocate nearly eighty processing plants. These processing plants are a significant source of income for at least 8,000 miners and their families in the region. The Association of Processing Plant owners is supportive of this initiative because it will allow them to continue producing nine tonnes of gold annually, but it will require the closure of all artisanal mining plants along the Puyango-Tumbes River system and their relocation to a central processing facility. In the meantime, mercury contaminated waste, approximately 65,000 m3, produced by these plants annually will need to be transported and stored, along with future tailings to a central storage facility, "El Tablon", via a pipeline. The remaining artisanal processing plants, which have been in operation since the early 1990s, are highly contaminated in mercury from open-air amalgamation burnings, spills and from the release of contaminated tailings. These sites will require extensive decontamination if they are to be used again by the public, as will the concrete, steel and earth removed from these sites during their decommission. The intent of this paper is to discuss the challenges of closing these processing plants, their relocation and to outline the goals of a successful remediation plan for the 7 km of the mercury contaminated processing sites along the riverbanks of the Puyango-Tumbes River. Lastly, the paper will discuss the effect this project has on community health, the local mining industry and those downstream of Portovello.

The goal of this research is to understand the traditional knowledge of the Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation to try to improve reclamation and closure planning of the New Afton Mine. Furthermore, to provide insight into consultation with First Nation communities for closure and reclamation planning. The New Afton Mine site, located 10 km west of Kamloops, BC is in the traditional territory of the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc and Skeetchestn Bands. The New Afton Mine Permit M-229, issued by the B.C. provincial government, establishes the criteria for the site's reclamation planning, which includes a statement to require reclamation back to traditional aboriginal uses where appropriate. This research analyzes what considerations need to be taken into account when planning for sustainable traditional aboriginal uses post-closure.
Interviews with knowledge keepers were conducted to understand the relationship between plant life, wildlife, water sources and the Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc traditional use pattern in the area. Site visits to both the Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation and New Afton Mine site have taken place during this research study. Visits to the New Afton property focused on determining and understanding the different areas of disturbance. Visits with the Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc members were aimed to engage, recognize and understand their objectives for the long term post-closure use of the mine site.
The results and analysis from this research found there showed an extremely strong connection between the community's culture and the environment. Hunting, fishing, medicinal and nutritional plant gathering were discussed as the key traditional land uses in the area. The New Afton Mine was seen as an old stop-over ground for travelers in the region. Concerns over the impacts of the site's tailings and possible contaminants to the environment (water, wildlife and plant life) were extensively discussed. Bringing back the land to a natural state was outlined as the most desirable outcome for closure. The technical constraints of the property, how the property being considered a brownfield impacts the closure and reclamation outcomes were also discussed (subsidence zones, semi-arid conditions, etc.). Finally, through the interviews and field notes, it was found that proper consultation and collaboration with First Nations communities rely on respect of their culture, establishing trust and flexibility during negotiations.

Hand in hand with the great mining investment that has been taking place during the last 15 years, Peru has also witnessed the proliferation of artisanal mining. Paradoxically, the cities where artisanal mining has an important presence are also the ones that expressed strong opposition against large-scale mining. This is the case of the district of Tambogrande (Piura, Peru), which in 2002 showed strong opposition to the mining operations of a Canadian mining company. In its worst episode, this opposition led to a conflict that included massive protests, violence and deaths. Tambogrande became an emblematic case in Latin America of resistance to mining activities. Currently, the district is facing a fast proliferation of small and artisanal mining. The main objective of this proposal is to investigate why artisanal mining does not face the opposition that large-scale mining does, specifically, what are the social channels and beliefs that contribute to the continuity and support of small and artisanal mining in contrast to large scale mining.
Most of the work around this issue in Latin America has focused on the environmental and technical aspects of mining, however these approaches cannot explain why, being accused of the same claims, small-scale and artisanal mining does not generate the same local opposition that large-scale mining does. In that sense, this research emphasizes the relevance of having social license in order to assure the sustainability of any extractive operation. It argues that this is linked to how people perceive the impact and the contribution of mining activities, its expectations, and most importantly, how these activities are socially linked to their lives. The research uses interviews, ethnographies and a survey to test this hypothesis.
Key words: perceptions, socio-environmental conflicts, artisanal mining, social license

Phytoremediation embraces an array of low-cost plant-based technologies that could be potentially advantageous for remediation of Hg polluted soils, especially in developing countries, where artisanal and small-scale mining for gold extraction has left a legacy of Hg pollution. In this work, we thoroughly examine phytoremediation processes and their associated risks in metal-contaminated mine tailings of Brazil, China and New Zealand where Hg pollution caused by anthropogenic or ASM activities are of concern. We describe laboratory and greenhouse experiments where the effect of total Hg concentrations, plant species, and humic acids was investigated on Hg-induced phytoextraction and phytostabilisation. The results of a field-scale phytoextraction experiment in situ are also presented. We also evaluated the generation of Hg-containing leachates and Hg vapour emissions from plant pots enclosed in gas-tight volatilisation chambers. Altogether, these experiments provided a picture on the Hg transport and fate in the plant-soil-atmosphere continuum, which is a fundamental step towards risk assessment and decision making of available alternatives for the remediation and rehabilitation of Hg-contaminated mine sites.

Worldwide cement production is a high energy consuming industry; 90% is thermal and 10% is electrical energy. This is the third most anthropogenic related carbon dioxide emitting industry in the world. With a rising price of energy and a growing emphasis on environmental issues, the cement industry is facing significant challenges to remain competitive and sustainable. Composite cement manufacturing is one alternative that is used to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The dry grinding process used for finished product represents 40-50% of electrical energy consumption. It is a very inefficient process generally ranging around 1% efficiency. <br />This research evaluated the process of a typical Portland cement grinding circuit in order to identify inefficiencies in the process and how the operating parameters may be changed in order to improve the system's performance. Tests were conducted using samples from a B.C. cement producer and results analyzed in order to characterize and build a high accuracy model that can be used as a bench marking tool. Representative sampling and mass balance were performed on the circuit using real steady state operative conditions data provided by process plant managers. <br />Major research findings are:<br />• Air separator efficiency is rated 46.06% efficiency at fractions below 35 microns.<br />• High dust load feed and agglomeration are the main reasons for this low separator efficiency.<br />• Agglomeration effect is related to overgrinding, high energy impacts and the use of limestone.<br />• Whiten model is an adequate tool to fit and correct experimental data on cement air separators and to provide quantification of operating factors to evaluate the separation process.<br />• Low grinding kinetics at ball mill compartment 01 suggests improper size grinding media selection and high wear rate for the case studied (for media and liners).

In memory of John Meech
Phytomining has been suggested as a viable process to recover platinum group metals from mineralized soil, rock, or from mine wastes. However, extremes of metal concentration, high or low pH, and salinity that are typical of mining or mineralized materials make them challenging media for plant growth. In this work, the suitability of several PGM-rich materials is assessed for phytomining. Specifically, feed ore, concentrate and tailings from North American Palladium in Canada and surface exposed gossan from the Broken Hill mineral complex in Australia were assessed in the context of phytomining studies. The concentration of Pd and Pt in the tailings from North American Palladium was low (0.7 g/t and 0.1 g/t respectively) and these values are considered too low for phytomining. The ore and concentrate had a significantly higher concentration of precious metals, however the pH (3.6) and mineralogy of these materials are likely to preclude plant growth. The gossan from the Broken Hill mineral complex had a very high concentration for all the six platinum group metals. The concentration of Pd and Pt was 38 g/t and 14 g/t respectively and the concentration of Ir, Os, Rh and Ru in this gossan was greater than 2g/t for each of these elements. The pH of the gossan was 7.5, well within the adequate range for plant growth and is likely to limit the bioavailability of phytotoxic elements in the material such as Cu and Ni. Furthermore the CEC of 38.8 meq/100g indicates that adequate soil nutrients could be held to support plants growth. Gossan from Broken Hill mineral complex is therefore inferred to be a better plant growth media for phytomining of PGMs than feed ore, concentrate and tailings from North American Palladium in Canada.
Keywords: phytomining, Platinum-Group-Metals, plant growth parameters

The goal of this report is to review and evaluate elements of existing Canadian Indigenous Mining (Mineral)Policy frameworks to determine commonalties and unique principles. This report will explore the initially evaluation of policies using a high-level matrix developed initially to categorize common elements found in the policies. While the matrix was successful in identifying the common topics, it was not able to capture more subtle variances between policies in each category. This report serves as a more in-depth evaluation and comparison of the policies. The goal of this report is to understand the themes present within Canadian Indigenous Mining (Mineral) Policy and to formulate recommendations to other First Nations looking to develop their own Mining (Mineral) Policy.
The Mining Policies considered were launched and developed under different contexts. All polices focus, at least in part, on mineral exploration and development. The Canadian Indigenous Mineral Policies reviewed as part of this research include:

• Taku River Tlingit First Nation, 2007, Mining Policy. BC
• Cree First Nation. 2010. Cree Nation Mining Policy
• Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw. 2014, Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw Mining Policy, BC
• Tsilhqot’in First Nation. 2014, Tsilhqot’in National Government Mining Policy, BC
• Kasabonika First Nation. 2007, Traditional Territory Lands and Resources Planning & Development Policy, ON
• Anishinabek First Nation. 2009, Below the Surface Anishinabek Mining Strategy, ON
• Tahltan First Nation. 1987, Tahltan Tribal Council Resource Development Policy Statement, BC
• Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, 2007, Policy Concerning Uranium Mining in Nunavut, Nunavut
• Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, 2006, Background Paper on the NTI Uranium Policy, Nunavut
• Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, 1997, Mining Policy, Nunavut
• Makivik Coporation, 2015, Nunavik Mining Policy, Nunavik
All policies included in the evaluation were made public by the First Nations. Thank you to these Nations who provided policies for analysis.
Keywords: Mining, Canada, First Nations, Indigenous, Land Use

The past five years have been a tumultuous time in the global mining sector. Declining commodity prices, revenues and profits; increasing capital costs and debt levels; and the reality of mining lower grade deposits, often in remote areas, have been problematic for project teams around the world. The traditional financial and environmental risk factors were exacerbated during this period by an exponential rise in the number of mining-community conflicts (ICMM as cited in Goldfields, 2014), and in the need to earn the trust of a myriad of different groups who have earned the right to be classified as stakeholders in mining projects.
Research published in 2014 indicates that lack of social acceptance is now a leading – and costly - cause of delays for mining projects (Davis & Frank, 2014). This suggests that building successful mines requires more than superior technical, environmental and financial expertise. It also requires specialized skills to work effectively with those living in communities next to where resources are located.
This paper will consider the skills required for successful mine development, arguing that project team members require strong emotional intelligence (EQ) to enable their technical expertise to be appreciated. A media analysis of recent situations of mining company-community conflict will be undertaken to test the hypothesis that most incidents of social risk in the mining sector are driven by non-technical issues and the authors will discuss how the five attributes of EQ defined by Daniel Goleman -self-awareness, self-management, internal motivation, empathy and social skills – could add value to project teams, be used to mitigate social risk to mining projects, optimize performance and identify opportunities for partnerships to create co-benefits.

Fluminense is one of eldest football clubs in Brazil founded in 1902. In July 1981, the training facility of Xerem, 40 km from the center of Rio de Janeiro, was established. In this Center, daily 400 boys, aged 9 and 20, have activities that include vocational studies, social, psychological and medical support, physical and technical training essential to the development of football practices. In December 2011, Fluminense created the Department of Sustainable Development in order to promote the club, assist surrounding communities and disseminate actions to generate revenue in “green” businesses. Fluminense has been implemented a series of social and environmental activities that generated the program: “Fluminense plays clean”: Some of those are as follows:
• Assessment of greenhouse gases emitted by the professional and amateur football activities (e.g. transport of players) as well as other economic activities of the club. The result showed that Fluminense teams generated 2,580 t CO2 equivalent in 2012, considering all football related activities of the club. The measures proposed in the headquarters and in the Xerem Training Facility, have been contributed to the reduction of 360 t CO2/year.
• Reforestation of the surrounding environment with 3,600 native plants in a total area of 20,000 m2. The club hired 10 prison inmates to do the job, providing vocational training and an opportunity to reduce their sentences.
•Implementation of use of organic cotton to make the team jerseys for fans.
•Implementation of projects to reduce electric energy consumption (eg. use of solar heating, photovoltaic system, LED lamps, etc.)
•Implementation of selective collection, recycling and composting of garbage
•Implementation of a football school for children that revealed, so far, 15 athletes playing in the professional team

In the mining, ore, alluvial, and technogenic fields of the world, the microscopic and nanosized gold, a fraction of which is from 30 to 60% of the entire metal volume, is prevailed. Properties and behavior of the Au particles of such size differ from properties of big particles. Developing novel technologies for the microscopic gold recovery should be considered.
It was revealed that a significant decrease of the molten point is observed for the particles with size of 10 nm; for the particles with radius of 1 nm the value of aˆ†T becomes very significant. A sharp increase of the diffusion coefficients takes place in the same range of sizes.
The model of the heating process for dispersed gold was developed using the Mathlab software. The time of heating and melting of such particles was calculated. It was determined that there is a variation of temperature along the droplets cross-section while heating the Au dispersed particles. This provides conditions for their movement inside the pores under the action of thermocapillary effect. Liquids, which do not wet the pores surface, such as gold, will be moved to the range of higher temperatures, that is to the surface, if the heat source is situated outside of heated body. Coagulation takes place along the path. As a result, the large Au drops (1 mm and more) were experimentally observed on the surface of the geological materials.
Keywords: dispersive gold, simulation, Mathlab

In the mining, ore, alluvial, and technogenic fields of the world, the microscopic and nanosized gold, a fraction of which is from 30 to 60% of the entire metal volume, is prevailed. Properties and behavior of the Au particles of such size differ from properties of big particles. It should be considered at developing novel technologies for the microscopic gold recovery. It was revealed that a significant decrease of the molten point is observed for the particles with size of 10 nm; for the particles with radius of 1 nm, the value of aˆ†T becomes very significant. A sharp increase of the diffusion coefficients takes place in the same range of sizes.
The model of the heating process for dispersed gold was developed using the Mathlab software. The time of heating and melting of such particles was calculated. It was determined that there is a variation of temperature along the droplets cross-section while heating the Au dispersed particles. This provides conditions for their movement inside the pores under the action of thermocapillary effect. Liquids, which do not wet the pores surface, such as gold, will be moved to the range of higher temperatures, that is to the surface, if the heat source is situated outside of heated body. Coagulation takes place along the path. As a result, the large Au drops (1 mm and more) were experimentally observed on the surface of the geological materials.
Keywords: dispersive gold, simulation, Mathlab

Management of socio-political risk, the fabled social license to operate, has become one of the most pressing issues facing the mining industry today. Failure to develop mutually beneficial relationships with local and regional stakeholders can lead to significant costs to proponents. These include project delays, reputational damage, and even the abandonment of projects. Corporate transitions – such as the acquisition of a project, management turnover, or change in the development stage of a project – at mineral properties and mining projects can cause regression in corporate-stakeholder relationships, as the changing faces and attitudes can lead to breakdowns in communication, misunderstandings, and conflict. There is currently a lack of dialogue on the management of risk through these changeovers, and this study fills acute need for an industry where the standard business model includes the transactional exchange of mineral properties and projects in various states of development. This research analyzes how corporate transitions at mining projects can be best managed to mitigate socio-political risk, resulting in lasting and mutually beneficial corporate-stakeholder relationships. By examining the Mount Milligan mine in central British Columbia, as a case study, the author analyzes how successive management teams incorporated stakeholder concerns and evolving regulatory requirements in mitigating socio-political risk during their tenure, and specifically how this risk was mitigated through successive changes in management and ownership. Findings from interviews with past managers, First Nations groups, and other stakeholders, in addition to a review of public documents, examines the project's complex history. Analysis of this data has informed the development of key strategies that can be employed in the management of corporate transitions at future projects.

A common adage in the Explosives Industry goes by saying that "Blasting is not bombing". One of the key differences between the two employs of explosive energy lays in the same gap existing between the application of acoustic energy that differentiates noise from music: timing and the distribution of energization in time. While timing in blasting is widely accepted to influence blast-induced vibrations, it is still not completely investigated when related to rock fragmentation and downstream benefits. This paper shows a research about this topic, developed on two phases: 1) test blasts at the Experimental Mine of the Research Center of Responsible Mining of the University of Sao Paulo; 2) development project for large-scale production blasts in an open-cast mine. The first phase of the research was performed attempting to increase the productivity of the experimental mine, by lowering production costs and improving the quality of the product. Some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were established to monitor the results. A new blast design method and a more appropriate initiation sequence were designed according to the principles of: i) decomposition of the blast; ii) taking advantage of the free surfaces to favor the movement of the blasted material; iii) simultaneous holes firing as far away as possible, to avoid undesired cooperation of charges that may induce the explosive energy to work with shear effect instead of producing fragmentation. The results show that the proper selection of delay timing leads to significant benefits for rock fragmentation, downstream processes and the quality of final walls. The second phase of the study was a research and development (R&D) project in an open-cast mine with the goal to achieve an average P80 of 300 mm (11,8") in the run-of-mine (ROM) product without altering the existing budget. The project included several variables in the blast design that were not previously taken into account, such as the orientation of natural joint sets in the rock mass, specific energy of the explosive and firing sequence. The new blast design method considered the directions of natural joint sets and determined the drilling pattern and the firing sequence accordingly to favor the movement of the blasted rock along its preferential direction, to reduce its confinement. At the end of the project, it was achieved an average P80 of 304 mm (12") in the ROM, 50% lower than the one at the beginning of the project. The final blast of the project showed a reduction of 3% of the drill and blast cost, employing the same powder factor and the same drill pattern size used at the beginning of the project. The results of this study show how blast performance is related to variables that are not contemplated in the most common design methods or fragmentation models: the firing sequence, degree of freedom and the direction of movement in the blast.

Indonesia has a long mining history; mineral resources have been mined across the country since the 16th century, before the colonial period. Location on a plate boundary makes Indonesia a rich host for mineralisation. Artisanal gold mining is a consequence of this rich mineralisation. Artisanal miners began working visible gold in alluvial deposits hundreds of years ago using simple separation technology. Today tens-of-thousands of miners extract fine gold from primary ore deposits using a range of techniques. As the technology became known, miners embraced mercury amalgamation and this technique has become widely used, regardless of the type of ore, due to its simplicity and versatility. However, amalgamation can be very inefficient, and the mercury can cause detrimental effects to public health and the environment. Mercury is a pervasive and insidious trans-boundary contaminant.
Artisanal mining has also brought about occupational hazards and a range of social problems in mining areas. Human safety, traditional livelihoods and community values are being eroded by the pursuit for gold. A continued and focused effort is therefore required to increase the technical capability of the artisanal and small-scale miners to enhance the sustainability of mining. Capability building is required to promote better and safer mining and processing of gold ore, as well as to protect the environment. Such effort is desperately needed to reduce social tensions and to protect future generations.
The Indonesian government has realised that artisanal and small-scale mining is a part of society. Artisanal mining is therefore included in the Mineral and Coal Law No. 4/2009. The government is also a signatory to the Minamata Convention to phase out mercury use (October 2013). These two instruments are being used to regulate artisanal mining and to establish this activity as a formal part of the extractive industries. BPPT is a key stakeholder in the government’s National Implementation Plan to phase out mercury use in the artisanal mining sector. BPPT has taken a lead in establishing the Indonesian Centre for Artisanal Mining (INCAM) which will contribute to the government’s agenda through technology innovation and the education of miners. INCAM is expected to become a national node for Indonesian and international expertise working to secure a better future for the artisanal and small-scale mining sector. INCAM has the potential to harmonise national and international efforts in this space.
Keywords: Indonesia; artisanal and small scale gold mining; Minamata Convention; mercury, National Implementation Plan

Artisanal gold mining (AGM) activities encompass small, medium, informal, legal and illegal miners in numbers close to 16 million and are responsible for producing around 380-450 tonnes/a or almost 12% of total mined gold. AGM is considered the main anthropogenic source of mercury pollution emitting and releasing around 1400 tonnes/a into the environment. In 2013, The AGM sector in Colombia produced 72% of the country's gold or around 40 tonnes/a of gold. In the Department of Antioquia, artisanal miners take their ores to Processing Centres to be amalgamated in small ball mills. On average, 50% of the mercury introduced in the process is lost: 46% lost to the tailings as mercury droplets and 4% lost as fumes when amalgam is burned. Miners usually do not need to pay for the amalgamation service as the Centres retain the Hg-contaminated tailings to leach with cyanide extracting the non-amalgamated gold which is usually around 75% of the gold in the ore. By 2010, 5 municipalities in Antioquia were emitting and releasing to the environment up to 110 tonnes/a of mercury. By 2013, thanks to an educational project implemented by UNIDO and local partners, 46-70 tonnes of mercury have been prevented from polluting the environment. The project adopted a strategy of educating the owners of the Processing Centres on cleaner methods to produce more gold consequently reducing the amount of mercury entering the amalgamation process. The success of this project motivated the Government of Colombia to invest in the idea of creating Training Centres for Artisanal Miners (TCAM), in which miners could be trained and educated. In 2014, the Government of the province of Antioquia in cooperation with the National Centre of Learning (SENA) created a US$6.5 million TCAM in the town of El Bagre, Antioquia to train conventional and artisanal gold miners in sustainable gold mining and processing techniques, legalization of informal miners, economic diversification, food security, ethics, accounting, business management, health and environmental issues in mining, social responsibility, etc. The SENA is also investing in training its trainers to run 3 other Centres in different locations in Antioquia. The Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI) are working together with SENA to implement these Training Centers. The steps for the development of curriculum for the miners and implementation of the Centres are discussed in the presentation. Currently, there are 39 new mercury-free processing plants operating in Antioquia.

The exploration of scheelite in the Borborema Pegmatitic Province gained international notoriety from the year 1943, during the World War II, with the Brejui Mine in operation, which is located in the municipality of Currais Novos, Rio Grande do Norte State. The discovery of scheelite in the neighbouring State of Paraiba, in the locality of Quixaba, favored the implementation of School Mine, a great project developed by UFPB in partnership with SUDENE. It became an area of research and practical classes for engineering, geology, and mining students, encouraging the practice of tilling, mineral treatment and beneficiation. During all these years, many actions were carried out in a planned way, allowing researchers to recognize its economic potential and didactic importance. Several training courses have already been developed within the project by mining engineering students from UFCG and geology students from USP, culminating in details the mine geologic mapping. The present work has the main objective of understanding how the processing of scheelite on School Mine was carried out, describing all the rock processes until obtaining tungsten. The methodology used for the realization came by means of bibliographical research and visits to the School Mine in order to observe the spot, the equipment used and its functions in mineral processing.<br />KEYWORDS: Scheelite, School Mine, Mineral processing

Across Africa, a wave of policy reforms is underway with the primary objective of increasing the development benefits from mineral wealth. To achieve this end, a diverse range of policy, legal and institutional models has been introduced in different African nations. These range from competitive bidding versus first-come first-serve licencing to mandated versus market driven value addition to efforts to formalize artisanal supply chains versus a reversion to policies to eradicate artisanal mining to a resurgence of state mining companies in some jurisdictions. Drawing on evidence from Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and other nations, this presentation explores the implications of different trends on the promotion of sustainable development across the spectrum of artisanal, small, medium and large scale mining.

Aboriginal and rural women are among the most vulnerable members of Canadian society and are particularly vulnerable to health impacts associated with the extractive industry (EI) such as increased substance abuse, domestic and community violence and prostitution. Yet, these impacts remain largely unidentified and unmitigated in Canadian federal and provincial EIAs. In British Columbia (BC), EI project proponents, impact assessors, reviewers and communities themselves have open access to robust digital health and spatial datasets. These datasets can be used to identify areas and populations vulnerable to impacts during the EIA process, as well as track conditions over time to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
In 2010, community members in north-central BC approached the research team to help them better understand and prepare for health impacts associated with a new open-pit 110,000 tonne/day Copper-Gold Mine. Community members expressed dissatisfaction with how the EIA process captured community health issues such as loss of land, increased traffic, in-migration, impacts on health and social services, crime and violence and the vulnerability of women and youth. As part of this research project, this work seeks to improve how the EIA process captures and addresses impacts to women living in remote communities in BC.
This presentation proposes a tool for better capturing the vulnerability of rural and Aboriginal women living in remote areas to violence and violent victimization associated with extractive projects. This web-based, GIS tool will integrate existing health and spatial datasets to identify areas of BC where violence is endemic and women may be vulnerable in effort for communities, proponents, and government to better plan and implement mitigation measures that address violence. This research is part of the Extractive Industry and Community Health Project funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.

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