The ‘GoldKacha mini’ (miniGK)
a step towards mercury-free gold ore processing
Our trustee, Dr. Terry Garde recently visited Kenya, Zimbabwe and the USA regarding his efforts with the mission of Mining God’s Way.
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While in Kenya, Terry travelled to Masara where he spent two weeks on artisanal gold mines, meeting old and new friends either connected with mining or through the church. He remains concerned with the gold ore processing device, commercially known as the ‘GoldKacha mini’ (miniGK) which is a step towards mercury-free gold ore processing. The picture on the left shows Solomon Opiyo working with it on a typical mine. |
Mercury pollution from artisanal and small-scale mining is posing a real threat to some of the most important parts of the world e.g. the Amazon Basin. These worries are reaching the British media as reported on Sky News e.g.
‘For centuries, the indigenous Munduruku have lived in an area across what is now the states of Amazonas and Para in northern Brazil, especially around the Tapajos River.But in recent decades, villagers had been plagued by curious symptoms that they didn't realise could be related: children unable to lift their heads, adults unable to walk any more, muscle tremors, memory loss, fading hearing and vision, miscarriages.
Now they are finally closing in on the cause. The Tapajos River, their lifeblood, is laced with highly toxic mercury.
Gold, once locked in the mountainside of the Andes, was gradually washed away by ancient rain into the Amazon basin. To extract it, illegal miners churn up the riverbed and combine it with mercury because it binds to gold.
The process releases mercury into the air, water and soil. Over time, the mercury coursing through the waterways accumulates in river fish, which indigenous communities eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner.
The toxic metal also accumulates in placentas, breast milk and children, often two or three times the safe threshold for pregnant women.
This year, the Munduruku capitalised on the global attention on Brazil as it hosted the UN climate talks (COP30) to fight for their land once again.’
The picture shows Alessandra Korap protesting against mercury pollution at COP30
Their full story can be found on https://news.sky.com/story/women-are-afraid-to-get-pregnant-indigenous-people-fight-mercury-poisoning-from-illegal-gold-mining-in-brazil-13474997
Mining God’s Way appeals for your prayers to the Creator for all necessary support in the fight against this scourge of mercury, which is a race against time.
Dr Terry Garde
Rev Tafadzwa Chikudo visited the Mazambane gold mine, where he met two groups of miners. He noticed one young man had a great need of salvation in Christ. He had run away from home and was now involved in drink and drugs. After two hours of conversation and counselling the young man acknowledged his sin and accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Preparations to arrange for him to return to his family to seek forgiveness and reconciliation are in hand. Praise God.
