Studies reveal mercury impact on humans, environment

Even as Guyana’s gold mining sector  continues  to attract criticism from environmentalists and host community lobbyists over mining practices considered harmful to the human and physical environment, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Secretariat in Guyana says that it will continue to collaborate with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, (GGMC), the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), local gold-miners, lobby groups  and mining communities to help move the industry towards more sustainable mining practices.

Speaking with Stabroek Business last week WWF Country Director Dr. Patrick Williams and Gold Mining Pollu-tion Abatement Co-ordinator Rickford Viera outlined a number of initiatives that have been taken by the Fund to strengthen capacity to address the environmental challenges facing the sector. At the same time, however, both WWF officials made it clear, however, that environmental transgressions in the mining sector continue to impact on the human and physical environment in local mining communities.

Dr. Williams re-ferred to two scientific studies conducted by the WWF to seek to determine the im-pact of mercury use in the mining sector on the environment. The first, in the Upper Mazaruni Basin used fish and hair samples to determine mercury residue. He said that more recently the WWF had carried out a second study at Arakaka in the North West District, in collaboration with the Institute of Applied Science and Techno-logy. (IAST). “The data that we have indicates that there is mercury in the environment and that persons have been affected by mercury use,” Dr. Williams said.  …..