Minería de oro de aluvión: Efectos en el recurso hídrico y la salud de los mineros

Abstract

Gold mining is a profitable activity in the world. The gold costs tend to increase annually on the world market at the same time, in turn increasing mining activity. The gold mining is classified according to precedence in primary and secondary; the secondary refers to alluvial deposits of gold. The gold extraction techniques could vary according to the mining scale and level of technology. Many gold companies around the world use toxic chemicals like mercury, affecting the environment, water resources and some ecosystems through the accumulation and biomagnification processes. Also, the mercury affects the human health, causing different types of cancer. The gold mining practices in developing countries have many risks that have been triggered by political, social, economic, and administrative factors, affecting the worker health. In this review paper, mining exploitation was approached with a world-wide vision, climbing to the national level and to the Cauca region, particularly observing the local reality in the municipalities of Suárez, Buenos Aires and Santander de Quilichao. These latter municipalities report inadequate management of substances such as mercury, which has generated environmental and public health effects from the irrational use of this chemical. Additionally, the pilot experience of the La Estrella mine in the municipality of Suárez is reported, which has been applying clean mining and has completely replaced the use of polluting substances such as mercury and cyanide.