Mining & Trade News

Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASMs) have identified a gold mining site in Milepa, Chiradzulu district which is attracting scores of miners, and local and foreign gold buyers.

One of the Miners Misheck Galaja confirmed in an interview with Mining &Trade Review that the ASMs are purchasing or renting land from smallholder farmers in the area for gold panning purposes.

Galaja said they are selling the gold grains, which he said are of good quality, to middlemen who have markets abroad or in turn sell to Export Development Fund (EDF) in Mangochi, because EDF officers are yet to come to the site to buy gold.

“We are selling to these buyers because we are looking for a ready market as we are in need of money for survival. We do not have money and time to take the gold to as far Machinga or Mangochi where EDF officers are buying gold,” he said.

Galaja said the ASMs started mining at the site in November, and they continue to land on good quality gold particles.

However, Galaja expressed concern over poor sanitation at the site due to shortage of clean water and toilets.

“We are at a high risk of contracting diseases such as cholera as we do not have toilets as well as potable water to drink, we just use the bushes as toilets putting ourselves at a high risk,” he said.

Galaja called on government to assist the ASMs at the site by ensuring that they are licensed and trained in sustainable mining practices.

Malawi has a number of ASM hotspots including Makanjira in Mangochi, Tukombo in Nkhata Bay, Bua River area in Kasungu, Machinga, Balaka, Neno, Nsanje and Matapira in Lilongwe.

Besides poor sanitation, other issues at the sites include child labour, alcoholism, marriage breakages and pupils dropping out of school to indulge in mining activities. 

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