Amidst increasing unease in the gold mining sector over the industry’s future, the government has said that to date it has not signed on to any international document or made any commitment on the banning of mercury and will continue to engage all stakeholders on this issue.
The international community is working to reduce the production and global sales of mercury and a ban on mercury exports from the 27-nation EU bloc came into force last year, while a similar mercury export ban in the US will come into effect on January 1, 2013. And earlier this month, over 500 representatives from governments and civil society organizations gathered in a United Nations-backed meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay, the fourth of five meetings to negotiate a global treaty that would reduce the use of mercury.
Local miners have become increasingly vocal in recent times as the US ban approaches, calling for the authorities’ intervention and assistance in finding alternatives.