Mining & Trade News

Mining engineer Denis Mkandawire has called for the adoption of simple and affordable technologies to improve the safety, efficiency and profitability of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) in the country.

Mkandawire said in an interview with Mining & Trade Review that his visits to a number of small-scale mining sites in the country have shown that miners continue to rely on basic tools and methods, including picks for breaking rocks, shovels and hand held hoes for loading and moving materials, and buckets for washing and separating minerals.

He said some miners also use door mats to trap gold, while others use diesel-powered water pumps to wash and process mining materials.

Mkandawire said mercury is also being used by some gold miners to extract the precious metal, despite the risks it poses to miners and the environment.

He said: “These miners are working hard—but they are working harder, not smarter.”

He said there are affordable and simple technologies that can potentially increase mineral recovery rates, reduce miners’ exposure to toxic chemicals and enable them to process larger quantities of material in less time.

The mining engineer said modernising the sector does not necessarily require expensive machinery, but rather simple, practical solutions that can transform lives.

He called on people working in mining, development and policy to join discussions on how technology can help transform artisanal and small-scale mining from a pick to a profit.

Commenting on the issue, President of the Federation of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in Malawi (FASMIM) Percy Maleta agreed with Mkandawire saying there is a need to ensure that ASMs move from a pick to profitability through smart mining, where simple and inexpensive technologies, including alternatives to mercury, are introduced.

“He is right. There is a need to make sure ASMs move from a pick to profitability through smart mining, where simple, inexpensive technology is introduced, including alternatives to mercury use,” said Maleta.

He also encouraged those who already have the technology to go ahead and introduce it instead of waiting for policy changes or conferences.

“I would go further and encourage those who have the technology to go ahead and not wait for any policy or conferences. Sometimes we have to do things outside the box, and surely the policies will align. Otherwise, waiting on government takes forever,” said Maleta.

He, however, stressed that such initiatives must be implemented within the law.

“Let me be clear to say we need to do everything in accordance with the laws of the country, and that only political will will change everything in a flash,” he said.

But Maleta said technology should not be viewed as a replacement for traditional tools but as a way of making ASM safer, more environmentally friendly and more profitable.

“Technology is not replacing the use of a pick and shovel but improving the way ASM works and making their job smarter, environmentally friendly and profitable,” he said.

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