Grant: Fellowship - PA: Gender, Work and Health

With the high price of gold and the status of the global economy, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), is a rapidly expanding industry that involves men, women and children. ASGM does not require any specialized equipment or training, and represents an important mechanism for poverty alleviation. However, ASGM often uses mercury to purify the gold, a dangerous heavy metal that then contaminates the local environment and the atmosphere. Mercury can then travel long distances and deposit all across the globe. In Canada, mercury deposits from the atmosphere have contaminated the traditional food of Inuit populations and led to serious health concerns. The use of mercury in ASGM is a global transboundary issue and priority area for organizations such as the World Health Organization and United Nations. This project will drastically reduce the usage of mercury and improve the health of ASGM communities in Mongolia, which will have positive implications for the health of Canadians. Firstly, we will introduce a world-class knowledge translation educational program on safer mercury-free mining practices. Secondly, we will assess the health of an ASGM community in Mongolia and health improvements introduced resulting from this project. This will be an important contribution towards understanding the health and safety issues of mercury use in ASGM. Lastly, we will share the developed educational program and knowledge with other ASGM sites and international policy development in order to further reduce mercury usage and emissions.