Why miners are being advised against mercury use
In October 2022, President Museveni assented to the Mining and Minerals Act 2022, eight months after it was passed by Parliament. The law aimed to streamline operations in the mining sector and banned the use of mercury in mining activities. Despite this move, most artisanal miners across the country continue to use mercury in their operations, disregarding its negative impacts on their health and the environment. Benjamin Jumbe has been asking why this is so and what alternatives to mercury exist.
