Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining

59 Pages·2017·4.66 MB·English

by  Sayeh Beheshti

Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: Women and Health
Battle for Life:
Women Lead the Fight Against
the Largest Mining Plant in Russia
Olga Speranskaya

Violence on the Land,
Violence on our Bodies:
Building an Indigenous Response
to Environmental Violence
Helen Lynn

Women and Mercury in ASGM:
the Beauty and the Beast
Yuyun Ismawati Drwiega

Women Pay the Cost
of Mercury Pollution in ASGM
in Migori, Kenya
Griffins Ochieng, Richard Kiaka
and Aron Kecha

Mercury Justice Now:
Updates from Grassy Narrows
Meagan Dellavilla

Joy to Kids
Affected by ASGM Poisoning:
Inspiring Young People
Veronika Podobed

Hydragyrum
Poetry by Suzanne Farkas
No. 98/99 - Summer/Fall 2017
Editorial Team for Volume 98/99:
Olga Speranskaya, Patricia E. Perkins,
Jennifer Spalton, Reena Shadaan,
Helen Lynn, Sonja Greckol
Poetry Editor: Sonja Greckol
Design: Sayeh Dastgheib-Beheshti
Logo: Elizabeth Forrest For information about Editorial Guidelines, Calls for Submissions
and more, visit the “Write for WEI Mag” section of our website:
Cover Art: Samay Arcentales

Contributors: Jessica Campbell, www.weimagazine.com
Alexandra Caterbow, Yuri Cherkasov,
Ana Maria Currea, Meagan Dellavilla, To make a donation, please make it out to WEI Magazine,
Suzanne Farkas, Morgane Fritz, Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University, HNES Building Room
Katia Grubisic, Sonja Greckol, 234, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
Ingerid Huus-Hansen, Yuyun Ismawati
Drwiega, Richard Kiaka, Aron Kecha,
Gilbert Kuepouo, Sheila Logan, Mission Statement
Helen Lynn, Valter Muniz, Griffins Ochieng, Women & Environments International examines women’s multiple rela-
Geroge Orstin, Joanna Patouris, tions to environments – natural, built and social – from intersectional fem-
Chantal Persad, Veronika Podobed, inist and anti-racist perspectives. It has provided a forum for academic
Suci Rahmayani, Marita Rollo, research and theory, professional practice and community experience
Anna-Kay Russell, Ghada Sasa, Reena since 1976. It is published by a volunteer editorial board and contributes
Shadaan, Amirtharaj Stephen, Jennifer to feminist social change. The magazine is associated with the Faculty of
Spalton, Olga Speranskaya, Laura Vyda, Environmental Studies at York University, and has previously been asso-
Sophia York ciated with the Women and Gender Studies Institute at the University of
Toronto.
Editorial Board: Patricia E. Perkins,

Dayna Scott, Olga Speranskaya
Women & Environments International Magazine: ISSN 1499-1993, was found-
Editor in Chief: Sybila Valdivieso ed as Women & Environments in 1976. From Fall 1997 to Summer 2001 it pub-
lished under the title WE International. Women & Environments International is
Managing Editor: V.F.N.
indexed in Alternative Press Index, Canadian Periodical Index, Social Sciences
Academic Liasion: Dayna Scott Index and Women’s Studies Abstracts. Starting in 2017, issues are published
online at: www.weimagazine.com
Fundraising Director: Olga Speranskaya

Accountants: June Gao, Cindy Lo The information and views in this publication are those of the authors and contrib-
utors to WEI Magazine and do not necessarily reflect the views of WEI Magazine,
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its Editorial Board or the Editorial Team. WEI Magazine and its Editorial Board
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Board and Editorial Team for this issue acknowledge the institu-
tional support of the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York Uni-
versity and the invaluable support of its volunteers, without whom
this publication would not be possible.
ON THE COVER
Address all correspondence:

Artist: Samay Arcentales Title: “No More Mercury!”
Women & Environments
With the artist's permission and in support of the Grassy Narrows campaign, International Magazine
our cover reproduces the poster art for a recent event in Toronto about the
decades-long efforts of the Grassy Narrows (Asubpeeschoseewagong) First Faculty of Environmental Studies,
Nation for mercury justice, and its links with other environmental justice strug- HNES Building, Room 234
gles led by Indigenous women (see article in this issue). York University, 4700 Keele Street,
Toronto, Ontario M3J 2P3 CANADA
In describing her work, Samay says, “I was thinking about Grassy Narrows

and how it’s been contaminated by mercury from paper mills and then the Telephone: [phone] x 21055
land itself was logged, which heightened the mercury problem. The people at Fax: [phone]
Grassy Narrows have called for a cleanup of their waterways: what would that Email: [email protected]
look like?”
Website: www.weimagazine.com
Contact Information: [email protected]
2
Contents
Women & Environments International Magazine No. 98/99
WE Speak WE Poetry

4 Editorial: Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold 41 Stealing Breath
Mining: Women and Health Suzanne Farkas
Olga Speranskaya
53 The Dry Season

Katia Grubisic
6 Welcome Note: Women and Artisanal and

Small-Scale Gold Mining - Mercury and More
56 Hydragyrum
Sheila Logan
Suzanne Farkas

Features
In Print

7 Battle for Life: Women Lead the Fight
43 Weaving Resistance Through Action:
Against the Largest Mining Plant in Russia
Strategies of Women Human Rights Defenders
Olga Speranskaya
Confronting Extractive Industries

Anna-Kay Russell
10 Women and Mercury in ASGM:

the Beauty and the Beast
45 Violence on the Land, Violence on our Bodies:
Yuyun Ismawati Drwiega
Building an Indigenous Response to

Environmental Violence
15 Bringing Joy to Kids Affected by ASGM
Helen Lynn
Poisoning: Inspiring Young People

Veronika Podobed
47 “No More Mercury!” About Artist Samay Arcentales

WE Research
48 Indo-Caribbean Feminist Thought,
Genealogies, Theories, Enactments
18 Mercury in Women of Child-bearing Age:
Chantal Persad
An Emerging Global Health Crisis

Laura Vyda 50 Climate Change and Gender in Rich
Countries: New Book Addresses Blind Spot in
22 Non-Communicable Diseases: the Fight against Climate Change
Chemicals are a Key Factor Ghada Sasa
Alexandra Caterbow
51 When WEI-Mag was just W&E: Writing the
24 Women in ASGM: Early History of Women and Environments
What Does the Research Literature Tell Us? Jessica Campbell
Morgane M.C. Fritz
In Film
In the Field

53 Extracting Gold with Mercury Exacts a
29 Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Lethal Toll
Cameroon: Poverty Loop and Vulnerability of Jennifer Spalton
Women
Gilbert Kuepouo In the News

31 Helping Women Involved in Artisanal and 55 The United Nations Framework Convention on
Small-scale Gold Mining Achieve Better Climate Change Commits to Bridging the
Livelihoods - Ana Maria Currea, George Ortsin, Gender ‘GAP’
and Ingerid Huus-Hansen Joanna Patouris

33 Women Pay the Cost of Mercury Pollution in 57 Mercury Justice Now: Updates from Grassy
ASGM in Migori, Kenya Narrows
Griffins Ochieng, Richard Kiaka and Aron Kecha Meagan Dellavilla

37 Mercury Exposure in Kodaikanal, India: In Memoriam
Ex-Workers v. Unilever

An Interview with Shweta Narayan
59 Hilkka Pietilä
Reena Shadaan
Marita Rollo

3 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
WE Speak
EDITORIAL:
Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining:
Women and Health
In September, 2017 the world celebrated the entry or swallow, as well as suffering from severe seizures
into force of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. and pain. Minamata disease does not show mercy
This treaty is named after the Japanese mercury dis- on children who were born pre-polluted by mercury
aster caused by the Chisso Corporation’s release of that penetrated into the fetus in the mother’s womb.
mercury-contaminated wastewaters into Minamata The recent studies conducted in Grassy Narrows,
Bay for more than 30 years. This reprehensible in- Canada clearly demonstrate that exposures to mer-
dustry behavior made tens of thousands of people cury during fetus development can increase the risks
sick, and many passed away from the mercury poi- of adverse effects that can be carried across multiple
soning that is now known as Minamata disease. This generations.
fatal illness leaves people unable to walk, see, hear
New Partnership Between IPEN and the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) on Women and Chemicals By Olga Speranskaya, IPEN Co-Chair
The third meeting of the United Nations Environment First, a focus on the impacts of chemicals on women
Assembly (UNEA), held in early December 2017 in Nairo- and children.
bi, Kenya, focused on ending pollution in all its forms. At
Throughout their lives, men and women are exposed to
the meeting, IPEN and UNEP announced a new partner-
numerous harmful chemicals. But chemicals in women’s
ship to enhance and mainstream issues related to women
bodies can be transferred across the placenta during fetal
and chemicals throughout their work.
development and breast-feeding. Exposures during fetal
UNEP is the leading organization within the United development can cause lifelong harm and increase the
Nations system in the field of environment. IPEN is a risks of irreversible effects. Adverse effects can also be
global network of civil society organizations committed to transmitted across multiple generations.
achieving a future where food, water, soil, and air are not
Women and men both experience occupational expo-
contaminated with chemicals which cause cancer, disrupt
sures to chemicals, but these may differ based on the re-
endocrine systems and cause birth defects, so that chil-
dren may be born free from hazardous chemicals that gion, type of occupation, and access to information. Some
types of occupations are dominated by women. Very often
would otherwise harm their life and the life of generations
these are low-paid jobs that require long work hours and
to come.
high exposure to toxic chemicals.
IPEN and UNEP share common goals with regards to
human health and the environment worldwide. Their de- Women typically work at the lowest level in global pro-
duction systems. We witness the feminization of poverty
cision to focus a collaborative partnership on women and
that makes women more vulnerable to toxic chemical expo-
chemicals was made to emphasize gender aspects of
chemical safety. There are nearly 4 billion women and sure, putting their health at risk.
girls on the planet. Despite the fact that women make up
Second: a focus on equality in decision-making.
roughly half of the population and chemical exposure is
widespread, knowledge of exposure routes and the true Women generally have more limited decision-making
impacts of chemical exposures on women and their chil- power. There are wide disparities between women and
dren are difficult to determine because there is a lack of men in access to education, resources, social protection,
gender-disaggregated data. financing, capacity-building and training, and technical
knowledge and skills.
Environmental assessments of activities on chemicals
and wastes usually ignore gender aspects, and thus dif- Third, a focus on raising awareness on women and
ferences in gender susceptibility to chemical exposure chemicals issues in international chemicals and health
are not considered which may reduce the effectiveness of policy processes.
projects and policies.
Examples of such global policy processes include the
The new IPEN-UNEP partnership has three components: Sustainable Development Goals and the Strategic Ap-
proach to International Chemicals Management Beyond
2020 Process.
4 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
By signing the Minamata Convention, govern- the ASGM field and inspired us with her powerful ad-
ments committed to never repeating the tragedy that vocacy work on the ground. We are grateful to ex-
happened in Japan elsewhere in the world. Neverthe- perts from the GEF Small Grants Programme, and to
less, there is evidence of Minamata disease out- colleagues from Cameroon and Kenya for working
breaks in other countries, mainly those developing tirelessly to mitigate mercury exposure in Africa.
states with widespread artisanal and small scale gold
For the first time in WEI history, we hear from Ca-
mining or ASGM, the major source of mercury air
nadian teenagers who work hard to support kids in
emissions according to UN Environment. When the
other countries suffering from mercury poisoning.
solid material called ore is extracted, it is mixed with
Their activism, concern and dedication are inspiring
mercury to concentrate the gold and create a mercu-
and clearly show that everything is possible if you
ry mixture or amalgam. To get gold, the miners evap-
believe and care about the health of others.
orate mercury by heating the amalgam. This toxic
process often happens in people’s backyards or even
This WEI issue highlights the role of women work-
inside their houses with children playing nearby.
ing to make governments and industry accountable
When mercury evaporates into the air, pure gold and
for environmental damage that causes land degrada-
mercury-contaminated air is left behind. Though the
tion, pollution and suffering. The participation of wom-
Minamata Convention restricts the use of mercury in
en in reversing unsound political decisions and indus-
a variety of products, governments that have ratified
trial pressure on communities and the environment,
the Convention have not to date successfully ad-
and our fight for a better and just future, show wom-
dressed ASGM, the primary sources of the global
en’s ability to influence policy changes in the field of
mercury crisis.
mining in different countries. Women’s leadership and
activism across the world, and our battle for safe and
This issue of Women & Environments International
sustainable livelihoods, strongly contribute to meeting
tackles the topic of mercury use in ASGM. Many of
the 5th Sustainable Development Goal aimed at
the contributors are from countries that are seriously
achieving gender equality and empowering women
affected by gold and other primary metal mining.
and girls. According to Rio Principle 20, “Women
Their stories are emotional, caring and inspiring. Arti-
have a vital role in environmental management and
cles are accompanied by photos, many of which are
development. Their full participation is therefore es-
hard to look at, as they reveal disturbing truths of
sential to achieve sustainable development.” There is
what it means for people to live with mercury contam-
a clear understanding that women’s strong participa-
inating every day of their lives.
tion in addressing environmental and development
We thank all those who shared their stories, ex- challenges is the key to banning harmful practices,
pertise and knowledge with us. Special thanks to and WEI is pleased to share an important part of this
Yuyun Ismawati Drwiega, PhD candidate and the with our readers.
winner of the prestigious Goldman Prize for environ-
Olga Speranskaya,
mental warriors, who provided us with photos from
IPEN Co-Chair and WEI Board member
5 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
Welcome Note:
Women and Artisanal and Small-Scale
Gold Mining - Mercury and More

By Sheila Logan
The Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on enabling policies, and introduce technical solutions
Mercury welcomes the special issue of Women and that could eliminate the use and release of mercury
Environments International magazine on Artisanal in ASGM. These activities will provide increasing pro-
and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM): Women and tection for the communities and work towards the
Health. It is a great opportunity to highlight problems elimination of long-term mercury associated effects.
associated with mercury exposure and solutions to
reduce and eventually eliminate the use of mercury in Sheila Logan is a Programme Officer at Secretari-
ASGM. at of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. She has
worked on the mercury issue within the United Na-
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is more than tions Environment Programme, including in the
an occupation in many areas of the world. In many UNEP Global Mercury Partnership, as well as the
communities, mining is a way of life, an activity which secretariat of the negotiations for the Minamata Con-
can involve the whole family. For some, it is a means vention on Mercury as well as the interim secretariat
of survival; in battling against starvation, mining is the for the Convention. Based in Geneva, she has a
activity that puts food on the table. In other communi- qualifications in veterinary science as well as a back-
ties, mining may be a means of betterment, a way to ground in regulatory toxicology.
improve their quality of life, so their children have a
brighter future.
Putting This Issue Together
However, when artisanal and small-scale gold min-
We would like to extend a big thank you to the edito-
ing involves the use of mercury, families may unwit-
rial team for this volume. They worked hard and en-
tingly be stifling their children’s futures. Women in-
gaged a wide variety of contributors and ideas. We
volved in artisanal and small-scale gold mining, par-
thank them for their commitment to completing this
ticularly in activities relating to the handling of mercu- important volume. The editorial team for this issue con-
ry or the roasting of amalgam, may be exposed to sisted of: Olga Speranskaya, Patricia E. Perkins, Jen-
mercury at levels which will lead to effects on the un- nifer Spalton, Reena Shadaan, Helen Lynn, and Sonja
born and to very young children. These can include Greckol.
lifelong effects on their intelligence and their neuro-
WEI's longtime designer, Dinah Greenberg, died of
logical development, and may result in permanent cancer in 2016. Dinah contributed her fabulous talents
damage to their ability to learn and may stunt their full as a graphic artist and designer to Women and Envi-
potential. ronments International magazine over the last 15
years of her life, working with many different editorial
Under the Minamata Convention, the initial reduc- teams and our managing editor to design and lay out
tion and eventual elimination of the use of mercury, 44 issues of the magazine. Besides the beauty of her
work, we all so appreciated Dinah's own personal sup-
as well as emissions and releases of mercury to the
port for the magazine's purpose of contributing towards
environment, from artisanal and small-scale gold min-
a sustainable, globally equitable, eco-feminist fu-
ing and processing, is a key obligation. Working with-
ture. Her memory will live on through the magazine;
in the structure of the Minamata Convention, and with
we are uploading all the back issues to be freely
assistance available through the financial mechanism
shared online.
of the Convention, countries are already taking steps
towards eliminating the worst practices which result in Strong women have long called for "bread, and roses
the greatest exposures to the community and to the too"! Dinah's work epitomizes the powerful link be-
environment. tween art and justice.
This issue, our first to be published entirely online,
We at the Minamata Convention Secretariat facili-
has a somewhat new look. Sayeh Dastgheib-Beheshti
tate assistance to countries to address the challenge
has graciously volunteered to share her talents as the
of reducing and eliminating the use of mercury in
magazine's designer, as we explore the flexible possi-
ASGM through participation in education and training
bilities of online publishing reflected in our new design.
programs, provide support to governments to develop
6 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
Features
Battle For Life: Women Lead the Fight Against
the Largest Mining Plant in Russia
Truth and justice are on our side
By Olga Speranskaya
This year the world celebrates also deals with tightening control project data suggests that primary
the entry into force of the global over different industrial opera- metals production is the key
convention that regulates and re- tions, particularly with extraction source of mercury releases into
stricts the production, use, and dis- and processing of non-ferrous the Russian environment.
posal of the metal mercury, and metal ores, that are accompanied
mercury in products and waste. by uncontrolled releases of many Despite the Minamata Conven-
For the first time, the international tons of mercury into the environ- tion’s clear restrictions on extrac-
community has crafted a chemical ment. tion and uncontrolled mercury re-
policy restricting one single toxic leases, large corporations’ intent
substance due to its extreme Mercury contamination stems on promoting their "dirty business-
threat to human health, wildlife and from multiple sources. In Russia, es" persists, often with govern-
ecosystems. it is non-ferrous metal ore produc- ment support, and they continue
tion that is responsible for the li- with mining projects that will un-
The convention, entitled the Mi- on’s share of mercury contamina- doubtedly result in greater environ-
namata Convention on Mercury, tion. This is confirmed by the find- mental contamination.
carries the name of the world’s ings of the Pilot Project for Devel-
most devastating mercury poison- opment of Mercury Inventory in An example of such a practice
ing episode, in which industrial the Russian Federation imple- is related to the initiation of con-
dumping of mercury into Minamata mented from 2013 to 2017 2. The struction of one of the largest cop-
Bay in Japan killed and severely
disabled tens of thousands of peo- V
ple. The preamble of the treaty is, O
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in effect, an instruction to prevent K
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future Minamatas: E
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“Recognizing the substantial U
Y
lessons of Minamata Disease, in :H
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particular the serious health and A
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environmental effects from mercu- G
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ry pollution, and the need to en- TO
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sure proper management of mer- P
cury and the prevention of such
events in the future...” 1
The Minamata Convention is
also the first global treaty on harm-
ful substances that is identified as
a health and environment policy.
This is meaningful as it prioritizes
health and environmental consid-
erations over the interests of glob-
al businesses. It is not only associ-
ated with banning primary mercury “STOP MPP!” Female activists are at the front line of the battle against in-
extraction from global deposits, it competent authorities and greedy ore extracting industry in Cheliabinsk.
7 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
per mining and processing plants (MPP) in Russia, Public opposition to the project began long before
Tominsky MPP. This example is worth considera- the official launch of the construction in July 2017. A
tion not only because of the size and impact of the group of women community members and environ-
enterprise but because of the dedicated resistance mental scientists was formed in 2013 to stop the
spearheaded by a mostly female group of environ- mining project before it was too late to prevent the
mental scientists. inevitable toxic exposures. The civil campaign enti-
tled “STOP MPP!” triggered a tide of public discon-
The Tominsky MPP plant, owned by Russian tent which resulted in meetings, pickets, and peti-
Copper Company, is planned for construction in the tions addressed to the regional and federal authori-
protected zone of Chelyabinsk city where no con- ties requesting a stop to plans for MPP construction
struction activity of any kind should take place. Che- in the area.
liabinsk is located in the Southern Urals, and has
more than 1 million residents. Russian Copper “STOP MPP!” was supported by women scientists
Company is currently destroying more than 3000 ha who conducted environmental and health impact re-
of protective forests to clear land to build the mine, search. Nadezda Vertiahovskaya, an industrial engi-
removing fertile upper soil layers and starting exca- neer and chemist based in Cheliabinsk and one of
vation of pits with a preliminary depth of about 500 the leaders of the “STOP MPP!” movement, de-
m. The company plans to extract 28 million tons of scribed in her environmental impact assessment that
ores annually, which (according to the company's ground water pollution was inevitable from Tominsky
own estimates) would contain 840 tons of arsenic, MPP and that it would contaminate Shershnevsky
280 tons of cadmium, 3800 tons of chromium, 560 water reservoir — the only source of drinking water
tons of lead and 1400 tons of antimony. The list supply for Cheliabinsk city and its district.
reads like the periodic table of elements that would
be discharged into one of the most problem-prone The activist scientists at the forefront of this
quarries in the world, the Korkinsky Coal Quarry. movement describe a domino effect of environmen-
The Korkinsky Coal Quarry has been in use for tal impacts that threaten to make the populated re-
more than 70 years and is the deepest quarry in gion uninhabitable. Vera Savchenko, a longtime
Eurasia (~ 5.5 km long, ~ 3.5 km wide and 510 m member of “STOP MPP!” raises questions about the
deep) 3. It is notorious for its fires that pollute air in survival of Cheliabinsk city itself after an environ-
Chelyabinsk and nearby. According to estimates mental and social catastrophe caused by Tominsky
from the National Mercury Inventory, extracted ores MMP, because ground water contamination with
would also contain about 6 grams of mercury per mining wastes that consist of highly toxic chemicals
ton of ore. Lead, cadmium, and mercury, first class including mercury and tens tons of sulfuric acid will
hazardous substances would be disposed of in tail- not only poison drinking water, it will make the soil
ings and diffused into the air. infertile.
V
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Women are regular demonstrators, taking part in all meetings against governmental plans to start mining
operation at the Tominsky site.
8 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
“The fact that Russian Copper Company is now stopped it from launching the construction at Tom-
destroying the Cheliabinsk green belt by cutting insky MPP site. This project represents the determi-
down 3000 hectares of forests around the city will nation of business to reap profits despite over-
result in suffocation of the already highly industrial- whelming evidence of health and environmental
ized city and the suburbs,” says Savchenko, who destruction.
believes that the com-
pany’s persistent intro- In the words of Tsitser,
In the words of Tsitser, “The future
duction of dangerous “The future of our children
industrial operations is of our children is in jeopardy. is in jeopardy. Women will
also responsible for se- never be stopped or fright-
Women will never be stopped or
rious social tension and ened if the health of their
protest in the Southern frightened if the health of their chil- children is at risk. We will
Urals of Russia. continue our fight to de-
dren is at risk. We will continue our fend the uncontrolled
Women’s front line fight to defend the uncontrolled crime in Cheliabinsk. Truth
activism in the battle and justice are on our
against incompetent crime in Cheliabinsk. Truth and jus- side”.
authorities and greedy tice are on our side”.
ore extracting industry
in Cheliabinsk region With the Minamata con-
has made a difference. vention, the global com-
According to the Russian Federal Service for Su- munity has made a commitment to end mercury
pervision of Consumer Rights, Protection and Hu- harms and to prevent future Minamatas. Russia
man Welfare, “if it were not for the women, Tom- signed the convention in 2014. Statements from
insky MPP would have already been built. within the Russian government, statements from
the corporation itself, and research from citizens
The “STOP MPP!” movement had a “women’s and scientists all concur that the Tominsky MPP will
face” that helped to significantly delay the MPP create mercury and other dangerous emissions as
construction process”, notes Oxana Tsitser, a pub- a result of the mining activities. Now is the time for
lic activist and an expert to the Russian Ministry of global action to prevent a pollution disaster that is
Natural Resources and Environment. “Women are here on the horizon.
fighting for the health of their children, for clean
air, clean water and healthy soil and food. Our Olga Speranskaya, PhD (Physics) is a Co-Chair
children have the right to live in a healthy and pro- of IPEN, a network of non-governmental organiza-
tected environment. Tominsky MPP denies this tions working in more than 100 countries to reduce
right and predicts a future when our children will and eliminate the harm to human health and the
be infertile due to toxic chemical exposure caused environment from toxic chemicals. She is focuses
by MPP pollution”. on the design and implementation of IPEN’s global
strategy to address pollution sources, domestic and
The “STOP MPP!” Campaign continues to international chemical safety policies and process-
grow. In the last two years, thousands of people es. In 2011 she received UNEP's Champions of the
have joined the “STOP MPP!” people's movement. Earth Award and in 2009, she was awarded the
An astonishing number of residents have joined to Goldman Environmental Prize for grassroots envi-
petition the government to step in and stop the ronmental activism.
construction of Tominsky MPP, with 163,000 sig-
natures so far. Dozens of rallies and pickets take
place in Chelyabinsk and the villages nearby.
References
Women with children are regular demonstrators,
taking part in all meetings and even individual 1 http://www.mercuryconvention.org/Convention/
pickets near the city administration, protesting tabid/3426/language/en-US/Default.aspx
against governmental plans to start mining opera-
2 https://www.thegef.org/project/pilot-project-
tion at the Tominsky site.
development-mercury-inventory-russian-federation-rf
Despite the dedicated resistance of the commu- 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?
nity, the Russian Copper Company still continues v=V9dKeXoGWPA&vl=en
its health and environmental destruction. Lack of 4 www.ipen.org
permits and huge public resistance have not
9 WOMEN & ENVIRONMENTS www.weimagazine.com VOL. 98-99 SUMMER 2017/FALL 2017
Women and Mercury in ASGM:
the Beauty and the Beast
By Yuyun Ismawati Drwiega
Marni poured a 20 kg sack of discharge of the ball-mills content ASGM sector, which contributes
ore into a ball-mill and then added and filter it in a thin cloth, and about 20% of global gold produc-
2 gallons of water. Her husband then squeeze it to take the air out tion (Seccatore, Veiga et al.,
told her to place 2 bars of steel in- and form a nugget. One day they 2014). The United Nations Envi-
side the ball-mill to crush the ore were lucky, the nugget was as big ronment Programme (UNEP) has
further. Before she closed the top as a glass marble, about 10 to 15 also identified that ASGM is the
opening of the ball-mill, as remind- grams, but more often they only major mercury emitter from inten-
ed by her husband, she poured in got a small nugget, like half of a tional use and contributes about
500 grams of mercury from a Red peanut or about 2 to 5 grams. 37% of global mercury emissions
Bull bottle stored in the kitchen. (UNEP, 2013). Key anthropogenic
She mixed the magic silver liquid Her husband would burn the sources of mercury air emissions
with her bare hands to ensure the nugget inside a used tin can on include ASGM, coal combustion,
quicksilver potion mixed well with top of a simple table near their production of non-ferrous metals,
the ore and the water. After that, kitchen. Marni and her children cement manufacturing, large scale
she closed the ball-mill’s opening were always eager to watch him gold mining, consumer product
tightly and repeated the steps on burning the nugget and wonder waste, contaminated sites, and
the other 3 ball-mills in the back- how much gold they would get chlor-alkali plants.
yard of her house. The four ball- that day. Even though the smoke
mills were her dowry, a present smelled bitter, tasted like a cold In the last 40 years, mercury
from her groom for their marriage 5 metal in their mouth, and made has been used to extract gold in
years ago. them dizzy, most of the time they many ASGM practices in Africa,
would just stay there watching Latin America and Asia. Rising
Her husband, Nurman, like other him burning the amalgam until a gold prices (up 417% between
men in their Indonesian village, shiny, tiny amount of gold came 2003 to 2011 due to economic tur-
was a miner. He had his own group out. moil in some countries) have dou-
or kongsi and a mining area in a bled the number of ASGM miners.
hill about a 2 hour drive from their Their luck would be tested During this period, about 380 to
village. Her husband would work in again at the gold kiosk where her 450 tonnes of gold were produced
the mining shaft or lubang for a husband would take them. The annually by approximately 17 mil-
couple of weeks, and then after the gold kiosk owner would conduct lion miners.
pecah kongsi or the division of the some tests to determine the con-
yield, he would bring 10-20 sacks centration of gold in their nuggets. UNEP and Chatham House re-
of ore to their house. He taught her They’d confirm whether their nug- cently released a report on mercu-
how to process the ore with mercu- get was 9 carats, 14, 18 or 22 ry trade, supply and demand. The
ry until it was ready to be filtered to carats and then the gold kiosk reports revealed the amount of
form a nugget. owner would check the gold price mercury traded between 2012 and
that day and calculate how much 2015 decreased 20% (UN Environ-
Marni enjoyed her role in this they would receive in cash. ment, 2017).
kind of family business, felt em-
powered and smarter compared to There are many Marnis and In 2012, during the heyday of
other women in her neighbour- Nurmans in Indonesia and in 77 mercury trade, transactions were
hood. She was very skillful when other countries, trying their luck valued at approximately $ 232 mil-
she crushed the ore with a simple from this informal business. Sec- lion (USD) and in 2015, the trans-
hammer in their front yard and eas- catore et al. estimate that there actions were down to $ 45 million
ily handled the mixing of the ore are about 17 million miners all (USD). The decreased trade was
with water and 2 kilograms of mer- over the world who depend for largely due to a new treaty on mer-
cury every 5 hours in the ball-mills. their subsistence on the artisanal cury that was adopted in October
Her husband would take over the and small-scale gold mining or 2013 by 92 countries. The Mina-
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