Water Quality Monitoring

Nush, Mai and Vandy

Mining & Water QualityDeforestation & Water Quality

Conclusion & Recommendation

Content

Mercury and Cyanide from Gold Mining

Used of Mercury and Cyanide in Gold Mining

Gold will dissolve in liquid mercury and this process was extensively used for recovery of gold from ground area

Cyanide solutions used to dissolve and extract gold

Mercury and Cyanide often eroded into streams or were deposited directly into streams

Mercury and Cyanide is likewise harmful to wildlife such as mammals, birds, and fish.

Biomagnifications

Mercury and Cyanide Legacy from Historic Mines

• Elevated concentrations of mercury and cyanide in sediments

• Elevated concentrations of mercury and cyanide in fish, birds and other wildlife

• Restrictions on the amount of fish that should be consumed by humans

Toxic Issues with Mercury and Cyanide

• Neurotoxicity

• Birth defects

• Kidney function

Byproduct Mercury Production

The Chemistry

Au + O2 + CN- Au(CN)2- (water soluble)

Hg + O2 + CN- Hg(CN)2 + Hg(CN)42-

(water soluble)

Both the gold and mercury cyanide complexes are trapped on carbon and recovered during processing

How is Byproduct effected to human health

Biomagnifications in aquatic life to human

Release to ground water

Evaporated to the atmosphere

How is Byproduct Managed

Sold or transferred to three primary mercury recyclers

Management and transfer is conducted in a safe and reliable manner

The Cause of harmful water quality

Deforestation Lo

gging

Plantation

Impacts of Deforestation

Less water and Fish in dry season

Water Qualit

y?E FG

- WQ still questionable: Lack of equipment & Instruments

- Long term effect unidentified: recovery plan after the project completion

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Conclusion

Recommendations More mercury and cyanide should be

required for water quality monitoring.

Should cover the bottom of the reservoir pond by plastic or set up the proper pond to reduce the chance that Mercury and Cyanide will be release to ground water

Do not allow people to do fishing and eat any aquatic life from that pond

Try to reuse that water again in the processing

Recommendations Law enforcement to combat with illegal

logging

Discourage shifting cultivation

Provide seeding and technical support to the marginalized

Ground and surface water check must be implementing systematic

Raising awareness on forestation among children

Providing equipment and technical supports

Provide marketable seeds/stem

Any questions?

Thank you!