The mining of gold in unregulated and often hand-dug pits in West Africa, can be a deadly occupation, but one which many impoverished people in the region are pushed into by necessity, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
From smartphones to wedding rings, the hidden cost of everyday gold is its threat to human and environmental health, according to a new United Nations-driven initiative launched on Monday that aims to tackle mercury-based mining methods.
Extractive industries like gas, oil and mining companies are taking control of water resources in local communities and even putting people’s health at risk.
The mining industry, which has seen a marked decline in jobs in recent years, is employing shift workers in a manner that causes fatigue and could spell accidents, according to a United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) study released today.
