Impacts of artisanal gold mining systems on soil and woody vegetation in the semi‐arid environment of northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Gold mining is a tremendously important economic activity in rural districts of Ethiopia. We assessed the impacts of artisanal gold mining on soil and woody vegetation in northern Ethiopia. Estimation of soil loss, plant inventory, group discussions and transect studies were used to address the research questions. We employed t‐test to compare woody species and soil loss between mined and unmined sites. Moreover, we ran one‐way ANOVA to compare the average volume of soil loss among the mining sites. The study shows that gold mining removed colossal volumes of soil from the mining landscape with a significant difference among gold mining sites (P ≤ 0.05). Soil loss between the mined and unmined sites was also significant (P ≤ 0.05). Moreover, gold mining destroyed massive tracts of vegetation. Woody species encountered at plot level decreased from artisanal gold mined to unmined sites (P ≤ 0.05). Moreover, dead trees and exposed tree roots were higher in mined than the unmined areas (P ≤ 0.05). This discouraged regeneration and recruitment of woody vegetation. To conclude, gold mining system converted vegetated sites and farmlands into dysfunctional landscape. Therefore, we suggest that combined rehabilitation efforts are required to overcome the challenges of artisanal gold mining on sustainable land management in northern Ethiopia.

Spatiotemporal wetland changes and their threats in North Central Ethiopian Highlands

“…As consequences of wetland losses, several endemic species disappeared in the study area. In a fragile environment (Meaza & Demissie, 2015), socio-economically important herbs and shrubs species deplete over time as a function of collective drives of wetland changes (Meaza et al, 2017b). Similarly, Williams and Dodd (1978) explained that depletion of wetland endangered the fauna and flora species in fragile environments.…”

Emerging mercury and methylmercury contamination from new artisanal and small-scale gold mining along the Nile Valley, Egypt

“…2a) over the watershed, yet infrequent, heavy flash floods have been reported. For example, flash floods were reported on October 1991, November (Mason et al 2019); Egypt (this study); Ethiopia (Meaza et al 2017); Ghana (Armah 2013;Basu et al 2015;Donkor et al 2006;Hilson 2002;Rajaee et al 2015); Guinea (Kolie et al 2019); Kenya (Machácek 2019;Odumo et al 2014); Madagascar (Cabeza et al 2019); Mali (Armah 2013;MMSD 2001;SAICM 2010;Seccatore et al 2014); Namibia (Podolský et al 2015); Mozambique (Hilson et al 2018 Tanzania (Nyanza et al 2014); Uganda (Omara et al 2019;Wanyana et al 2020); Zambia (Kambani 2003;Podolský et al 2015;Seccatore et al 2014;Steckling et al 2017); Zimbabwe (Mujere and Isidro 2015;Steckling et al 2014;Veiga and Baker 2004) 1994, October 1997, and January 2010 (Ibrahim et al 2011;Saber et al 2020). Two main aquifers were reported from the study area: (1) a shallow unconfined to semi-confined aquifer, the Alluvial Aquifer (thickness: 20-300 m; lithology: alluvial deposits, gravel, sand, and silt); and (2) a deep aquifer, the Nubian Sandstone (NSS) Aquifer (lithology: sandstone of the Taref Formation, Fig.…”

“…Inset is a compilation of Hgcontaminated sites (red stars) in Africa related to ASGM. Sources include: Benin (Armah 2013; Grätz 2009); Burkina Faso (Armah 2013; Jaques et al 2008; Ouédraogo and Amyot 2013; Porgo and Gokyay 2016); Burundi (IPIS 2015; Machácek 2019); Cameron (Ralph et al 2018); Central African Republic (IPIS 2019); Congo (Nkuba et al 2019), Cote d'Ivoire(Mason et al 2019); Egypt (this study); Ethiopia(Meaza et al 2017); Ghana(Armah 2013;Basu et al 2015;Donkor et al 2006;Hilson 2002;Rajaee et al 2015); Guinea(Kolie et al 2019); Kenya(Machácek 2019;…”

Competency oriented management for sustainable artisanal andsmall‐scalemining sector development in Ethiopia

“…Also, miners construct mine tunnels in a horizontal orientation without the aid of an underground support system. Injuries and fatalities reported in underground mining sites occurred due to inadequate ventilation and tunnel/shaft collapse (Meaza et al, 2017). The processing methodology employed was also primitive and, in some cases, harmful.…”