Artisanal mining in Burkina Faso

Many artisanal miners use mercury, a toxic metal, to separate gold from ore. Despite being prohibited in many countries and trade restricted by the UN’s Minamata Convention, mercury is popular among artisanal miners because it is easy to use, cheap, and readily available. Artisanal miners are one of the largest anthropogenic sources of mercury pollution in the world. Despite severe health implications ― including congenital, neurological and behavioural disorders ― miners seldom use personal protective equipment. Although the use of personal protective equipment will not reduce environmental mercury pollution, it would have significant health benefits for the miners who use mercury on a daily basis.

In this study, we wanted to determine why miners do not use personal protective behaviour, given its substantial health benefits. We visited four artisanal mines in Burkina Faso and conducted a survey, field experiment, and biological sampling to determine the impact of knowledge, risk perception, and access on the adoption of protective behaviour. We find that the largest constraint to adopting improved protective behaviour, particularly the use of masks and gloves, is due to the lack of access to proper equipment and budget constraints. Giving out personal protective equipment for free, had a significant and large impact on reported usage, even after one year.