Poisoned By Gold Rush In Colombia

Traditional mining in Colombia

Poisoned by GOLD RUSH It is to Remedios, a traditional mining town in the region of Antioquia, a rich gold country in northern Colombia.

Mining has always been one of the main activities of the region, but in recent years the sector is booming.

A recent increase in the value of gold and the government's fight against coca cultivation led to unprecedented demand for the precious ore.

Today, gold is quickly becoming the new cocaine in Colombia. The explosion flooded the country of cash, sex, alcohol and debauchery.

But the exposure of children to mercury cheap technology to extract gold, had a negative impact.

In particular, many children find them selves powerless today. There is a problem of impotence in the region? It is a problem. It is usually attributed to mercury pollution in the region.

To meet the growing demand for gold, the number of underground mines exploded. Today, mercury pollution has become a serious problem in this region of Colombia. The mines destroy the jungle, dry rivers, and discharge of harmful pollutants in nature.

Today, about 80 percent of the gold mined in Colombia comes from these mines some of which help finance the guerrillas, and criminal or paramilitary groups.

It is a disputed territory for many years, and armed rebel groups trying to control the territory, because, of course, the wealth of natural. Illegal mining operations bring in about $ 2.

Traditional mining in Colombia

Gold grain for traditional mining in Colombia

5 billion a year, and are now more profitable than cocaine trade for Colombian armed groups, managing or impose farms.

Per kilo, the value of gold is greater than that of cocaine, and as it is a legal product, it is easier to sell. This is why young people like Didier Perea flock to the mines in the hope of making a fortune. 

Recently it became a business because there are mines where you start working and the salary minimum is very good.

Addict ? Yes, because sometimes we find gold, you take a barrel, washed and wins up to 5 million Colombian pesos (1,485 euros) for this piece, so inevitably it motivates us, and It gradually becomes addicted.

In this type of small-scale operations, Minors use mercury to separate gold from other materials. They are in constant contact with such a toxic material that even low levels of exposure can damage the nervous system.

Chronic mercury poisoning can cause organ failure and even death. For over 100 years this method is banned in the United States. 

Survey Mining In Afghanistan

Commercial drill rigs are a rare sight in Afghanistan. Problems affecting the country's infrastructure and instability have left mining projects in their infancy, but Afghanistan is a geological treasure trove.

"There is a working gold mine in Baghlan at the moment and in Sheberghan we've got gas and petrol. The north of Afghanistan has lots of mining opportunities.

In Jegdalek there are gemstones and in Mes Aynak there is copper, iron and chromium and other valuable minerals.

Drillers and geologists are among the first cohort of trainees from the Afghanistan Geological Survey being taught by the US Dod Task Force for Business and Stability Operations. The students are gaining the skills they need to explore and exploit the country's resources,by training in modern explorative techniques.

The next step for these drillers will be to push out into the country's mountains. Hope is that security will improve still, because there is still some insecurity in some of Afghanistan's provinces.

If the security improves, they will be able to go freely everywhere in Afghanistan to conduct surveys.

"And if Afghanistan's security does improve, the Afghan government will be first in line to exploit the nearly 3 trillion dollars of resources lying in its hills and mountains.

It's hoped that the mining sector could become one of the Afghan economy's strongest assets.

"There has effectively been a hiatus of exploration activity in Afghanistan largely on account of the security issues, for perhaps around 20 to 25 years.

The Russians in the mid-1970s did a considerable amount of work, but after the invasion and through the eighties, nineties and now in the first part of the century there hasn't been that much work done.

So there fore within the donor community there has been a great push to provide technical expertise to build capacity within the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and within the Afghan Geological Survey to help the Afghans help them selves and to develop their mineral resources and to exploit those resources for profit.

" Afghanistan's Geological Survey team will have an opportunity to play a vital part in their country's economy.

Much hinges on a long-awaited mining law to be passed ensuring the country's resources are fairly and legally exploited.

Video Survey Mining for minerals in Afghanistan