Nigerian officials shut down an illegal gold mining site in Gwagwalada after discovering the excavation behind a residential property, Vanguard reported.
After reports of an illegal gold mining operation reached the federal government in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, mining marshals shut down the illegal operation.
The government has been making efforts to "mitigate potential environmental hazards," including those from gold mining operations, Vanguard reported. The federal government shut down another illegal operation, arresting 16 suspects in August and 13 suspects from another operation in July.
The minister of solid minerals development, Dr Dele Alake, said that mining marshals are immediately deployed after reports of illegal mining, per Vanguard. Commander of the Mining Marshals ACC John Onoja said the government is also using 24-hour surveillance over the recently seized sites to ensure there is no more illegal mining.
"The ministry is fast-tracking the deployment of satellite surveillance technology to monitor mining operations nationwide and significantly strengthen enforcement capacity," said Alake.
According to Earthworks, gold mining is "one of the most destructive industries in the world." Mining gold can poison water supply by adding harmful chemicals, including arsenic, cyanide, lead, and mercury from toxic waste.
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In fact, mining for gold is one of the world's biggest causes for the release of mercury, according to the World Health Organization, which can cause brain and lung damage, per Cleveland Clinic.
The release of these hazardous materials and chemicals from gold mining can also lead to displaced communities, destroyed ecosystems, and threaten the health of workers. In the U.S., a recent study found that 100% of gold mines surveyed experienced an accidental release of hazardous materials.
Fortunately, there are some measures to combat the harmful effects of gold mining. The Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted in 2013, lays out ways to reduce mercury use in mining and banning mercury mines.
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No way 🙅 Studies into soil health around gold mining have helped researchers determine the best reforestation and natural regeneration strategies. Researchers even discovered a way to extract gold from waste.
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Gold recycling also helps lower the demand for new mined gold and avoid the harmful effects of gold mining on the environment.
The surveillance at the site in Nigeria is another great way to learn the impacts of gold mining in a certain area and prevent it from happening again.
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