Health and Environmental Risks from Mercury Use in Kakamega Gold Mining

Health and Environmental Risks from Mercury Use in Kakamega Gold Mining
A mixture of mercury with gold containing materials

In the quest for gold, miners have long relied on mercury to extract this precious metal from ore. However, the health and environmental effects of mercury use are increasingly coming to light.

In Kenya, Kakamega County is one of the regions known for gold mining, a practice that dates back to the 1930s. Areas such as Shinyalu, Ikolomani, Iguhu, and Rosterman, where gold mining is widespread, have been negatively affected due to the prolonged use of mercury. This has not only caused environmental damage but has also left several miners critically ill.

Mercury, a toxic heavy metal, has been a staple in artisanal and small-scale gold mining operations for decades. The process involves mixing mercury with gold-containing materials, forming a mercury-gold amalgam, which is then heated. This vaporizes the mercury, leaving behind the gold. While effective in recovering gold, this method releases mercury into the atmosphere, posing serious health and environmental risks.

Whether the use of mercury in gold extraction has been banned in Kenya remains a significant concern for many. My focus here is on the effects of mercury in Ikolomani Constituency, Kakamega County. 

During my first visit to the Bushiangala area, a small village in the constituency, I encountered many men and women whose main economic activity is gold mining. I walked around, posing as a student rather than a journalist, as I had not obtained permission from their local leaders. Speaking in our native language, I was able to gather a lot of information from the locals.

I noticed that a few farms, once used for growing maize, had stunted crops and were now left for cattle to graze. This suggests that the soil has been contaminated by mercury released into the environment. Mercury vapor can travel long distances through the atmosphere before being deposited on land and water, further spreading its harmful effects.

One miner, whom I’ll call Mr. Gerald, has been working in the industry for over 10 years. In a phone interview, Mr. Gerald explained that many miners are unaware of the dangers mercury poses to their health and the environment. However, thanks to training in safer mining practices, he has gained a clearer understanding of these risks.

"Most miners just don’t know how dangerous mercury is—not only to them but to the environment. I’m fortunate enough to have received training that really opened my eyes to the risks,” he said. 

Young men, aged 18 to 20, appear much older than their years—something I keenly observed during my visit. Initially, I thought they were simply exhausted from the hard labor under the hot sun, but these are likely early signs of mercury poisoning—something the residents are unaware of. The full scope of the health effects will be elaborated on by a doctor at Kakamega Referral Hospital.

For a long time, small-scale gold mining in Kenya has been governed by the 1940 Mining Act (CAP 306), which had no provisions for licensing the mining sector. As a result, a lack of regulation has become a major threat to the health and safety of miners. 

However, this act was repealed in 2016, under the leadership of then-Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry, Keriako Tobiko. The new law includes provisions for licensing small-scale mining at the county level, though it has yet to be fully implemented.