Child Labor In ASM Mining: The World’s Worst Lead Epidemic In Nigeria and Wikileaks On Child labor in the DRC
Two disturbing pieces of information about child labor and mining.
First, Wikileaks has posted a cable from diplomats on child labor in the DRC.
Quoting from Wikileaks:
“Summary: Child labor in the mining sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a significant and, seemingly, growing problem (refs A, B). Other than the actions of a handful of NGO’s, virtually nothing is being done to address this issue. Government inaction is particularly glaring. End summary.
Extent of Child Labor in the DRC Mining Sector
Artisanal mining – as opposed to working in an industrial or semi-industrial mining setting – is dangerous, unregulated work. Instead of industrialized equipment, miners use shovels, picks, buckets, ropes, and candles and wooden laths (to shore up the shafts). Shafts can be 60 to 90 feet deep and 10 feet wide, excavated essentially by hand to extract marketable metal ore. Artisanal miners often risk their lives for the USD 1.00 – 2.00 a day they typically earn to support their families. Unfortunately, many of these workers are children, and child labor in artisanal mining is a huge problem in the DRC. In 2007, UNICEF estimated that there were about 50,000 – 60,000 children working in artisanal mining in the Katanga province alone….”
Read the full report here: http://wikileaks.org/cable/2008/08/08KINSHASA629.html
Secondly, The Province has published an article about lead and mercury poisoning of children in Nigeria.
Quoting from the article:
“An estimated 500 children in the region have died over the last year or so in what some call the world’s worst lead poisoning epidemic.
The lead killing the children of Zamfara state comes from the small scale gold mining that lets impoverished families dream of a better life. When miners grind ore to liberate gold, clouds of lead-laced dust are released that contaminate the soils, says University of Victoria geochemist Kevin Telmer…”
Read the entire piece here: http://www.theprovince.com/news/Small+scale+mines+expose+Nigerian+children+lead+poisoning/5285245/story.html#ixzz1WpKzDZWe
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