Unlicensed mechanised mining of placer deposits in the riverine areas of Pakistan is not only depriving the country of a viable source of revenue generation, but also causing environmental and health hazards. “A handsome revenue can be generated by bringing such an activity under a policy framework. By enforcing the law strictly, many value chains and work opportunities can be created,” says Muhammad Yaqub Shah, a principal scientist at Global Mining Company Limited, an Islamabad-based firm. Talking to WealthPK, he said another drawback of unlicensed placer mining was the carefree working. “In Pakistan, when alluvium from a place is dug to extract precious metals, it is never put back into its place. As a result, the holes/ditches created thus potentially change the river morphology. Sometimes, river starts to flow backwards, causing floods.”

Yaqub said across the world, a strict code of conduct was in place stipulating that after getting the required concentrates from alluvium/sediment/soil, it was placed back from where it was taken. “The scientific reason behind this is that it helps keep the river flow regular without leaving any harmful effects.” He said placer mining was rampant in the Indus River and its tributaries, including Chitral, Gilgit, Hunza rivers, and streams. He said the illegal and unlicensed placer mining was frequent downstream of the Indus River around the Attock Bridge, where all its tributaries met.

He said another dangerous practice to extract precious metals from alluvium was the use of harmful materials, especially mercury. “What happens is that placer gold miners mix the lethal mercury with alluvium with their hands, causing health risks and environmental hazards.” The mining expert asked the government to regulate the placer mining by ensuring strict law enforcement and providing safety gadgets to the miners. “In this way, the government would not only be able to generate revenues from this sort of mining but would also ensure safeguarding people’s health and environment.”

“With strict regulations in place, the number of miners using machines to take out alluvium from rivers will be controlled, which will help protect riverbed,” he said. Yaqub said the government should allocate places to licence holders for mechanised mining after carrying out geological assessment of the riverbed to ensure safety of the river ecology. “Bringing this sector under a proper framework means regular income generation for the state and the people involved.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)