Small-scale gold mining in Myanmar

2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24651041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Environmental impact assessment/Environmental policy
• Research Institution: Japan Atomic Energy Agency
• Principal Investigator: OSAWA Takahito 独立行政法人日本原子力研究開発機構, 原子力科学研究部門 量子ビーム応用研究センター, 研究副主幹 (70414589)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HATSUKAWA Yuichi 独立行政法人日本原子力研究開発機構, 原子力科学研究部門・量子ビーム応用研究センター, 研究主幹 (40343917) ; OHSAWA Seiji 大妻女子大学, 副学長 (50114046)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
• Keywords: ミャンマー / 小規模金採鉱 / 水銀環境汚染

Research Abstract

Small-scale mining area in Myanmar was investigated. Sampling and investigation areas of this study are Kyaikhto in Mon state, Shwekyin in Bago region, near Kalaymyo in Sagaing region, and the middle reaches of the Ayeyarwaddy river in Mandalay and Sagaing region. Water, hairs of miners, and sands were sampled. A variety of small-scale gold mining styles are in Myanmar and all miners use mercury to obtain gold. Significantly high concentrations of mercury were detected for river water samples and hairs of miners and their families were contaminated with high concentrations of mercury up to 60 ppm. High concentration of mercury over 35 ppm was detected from 4-years old chid's hair. The mercury pollution in Myanmar do not warrant optimism.