Artisanal Mining and Soil Quality in the Sudano-Sahelian Climate: Case of the Artisanal Mining Site of Yimiougou in Burkina Faso, West Africa

The majority of the population of Burkina Faso lives from agriculture and therefore depends on the land. The main objective of this study is to assess the quality of the soils in the area linked to artisanal mining activities. The methodology adopted consisted in sampling and characterizing the main types of soil. In order to assess the level of soil pollution by artisanal mining, parameters such as the geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and the contamination factor (CF) are calculated. A prediction of acid mine drainage (AMD) was also carried out on samples of mine tailings which are potential sources of pollution of these soils. The results obtained show that the soils in Yimiougou are of nil to low agronomic interest. The Igeo shows that for lead, copper, zinc and arsenic the levels found in the different morphological units are partly attributable to human action and specifically artisanal mining. The values of the contamination factor indicate contamination. Cobalt presents the lowest contamination. For cadmium, the different types of soil are moderately contaminated except for the FITLC type, which has a CF value of 0.50, therefore synonymous with low or absent contamination. The various morphological units studied are very heavily contaminated with zinc, copper, lead and arsenic. The pH and conductivity values indicate that the mine tailings samples are non-acidogenic, therefore not yet oxidized. As for the sulphide contents, they show that only samples S17, S22, S23 and S24 present values that are strictly above the threshold (0.3%) and therefore potentially acid-generating. The comparative study of the acid potential (AP) and the neutralization potential (NP) reveals that the neutralization potentials of the different samples are clearly higher than the acid potentials even for the samples which present a proven acidification potential (S17, S22, S23 and S24). These results show that the mine tailings have the natural capacity to neutralize any possible mine drainage, given the presence of acid-eating minerals such as the carbonates associated with the mineralization.

Safety Equipment in Artisanal Maritime Fishing in Gabon: Between Adaptation and the Weight of Socio-Cultural Logics at the Libreville Artisanal Fishing Center (CAPAL)

Maritime safety equipment allows to prevent and minimize the risks inherent to navigation at sea. However, in the artisanal maritime fishery in Gabon, fishermen are confronted with the major difficulty of the inaccessibility of protective tools to carry out fishing trips in all peace of mind. The absence of equipment to help maritime navigation poses the problem of insecurity in which the various artisanal fishermen work, often victims of numerous accidents at sea. This article aims at highlighting the difficulties of accessibility, by the fishermen, of all the conventional protection tools recommended by the administrations. In fact, the methodology used is based on the consultation of official reports and publications on the subject, field observations and semi-structured interviews with 110 actors. The results obtained reveal, on the one hand, a plethora of conventional protective equipment required of fishing vessels. On the other hand, they reveal the high cost of safety equipment which creates, among the professionals concerned, a reluctance to acquire all of the said tools and forces the interested parties to associate them very often with the traditional procedures for rescue at sea.

Artisan虹膜夹型人工晶状体Ⅰ期植入术的临床观察

目的:观察Artisan虹膜夹型人工晶状体Ⅰ期植入术治疗白内障伴晶状体大范围脱位的临床疗效。方法:收集本院2007-05/2011-12期间白内障伴晶状体半脱位(由外伤、Marfan氏综合征引起)的患者24例28眼,其中4例8眼为Marfan氏综合征引起的晶状体大范围脱位,其余均为外伤引起的脱位,均行超声乳化白内障吸出术或前段玻璃体切除并Ⅰ期植入Artisan虹膜夹型人工晶状体。术后观察视力、角膜内皮细胞计数、人工晶状体位置和术后并发症。随访时间为6mo。结果:与术前比较,术后最佳矫正视力均有不同程度的提高,术后视力0.1～者20眼,0.5～1.0者8眼,随访1～6mo,没有出现人工晶状体移位、虹膜炎症、虹膜萎缩及角膜失代偿等并发症。结论:白内障伴晶状体大范围脱位手术难度大,但只要术者有丰富的临床经验和高超娴熟的技能,仍可行超声乳化白内障吸出术或前段玻璃体切除并Ⅰ期Artisan虹膜夹型人工晶状体植入术并取得较好的手术效果。

5．5mm上方巩膜隧道切口对Artisan人工晶状体植入术后散光的影响

背景在Artisan人工晶状体（IOL）植入矫正高度近视眼的手术中采用5．5ITIm上方巩膜隧道切口导致的术后散光是影响手术效果的主要原因。目的评价5．5mm上方巩膜隧道切口对有ArtisanIOL植入术后角膜散光的影响。方法对2004年10月-2008年10月在广东省人民医院眼科接受虹膜固定型IOL（PIOL）植人术矫治高度近视的患者111例202眼进行回顾性病例观察研究，随访期为12个月。观察比较患者术前，术后1、3、6、12个月术眼的裸眼视力、最佳矫正视力、球镜度、柱镜度、散光轴等指标，按照术前患者散光轴向分为顺规组与逆规组。应用Holladay十步向量分析法计算手术源性散光量。结果术后1年复诊，94．1％（190眼）患者术后裸眼视力达到或高于0．5，85．1％（172眼）达到或超过术前最佳矫正视力。术眼术后1、3、6、12个月的平均柱镜度数均较术前减少，差异均有统计学意义（t=-4．30，P=0．00；t=-2．27，P：0．01；t=-2．04，P=0．04；t=-2．79，P=0．01）。术后1、3、6、12个月手术源性散光分别为＋1．94D、＋2．26D、＋2．29D、＋2．25D，轴向分别为171。、170。、181。、175。。顺规组术后各时间点术源性散光分别为（＋1．97±1．84）D、（＋2．25±1．75）D、（＋2．27±1．76）D、（＋2．24＋1．75）D；逆规组术后各时间点术源性散光分别为（＋1．75±1．88）D、（＋2．35±1．74）D、（＋2．38±1．76）D、（＋2．34±1．74）D，术后各时间点两组间术源性散光值比较差异均无统计学意义（t=0．54、-0．29、-0．27、-0．29，P=0．59、0．78、0．79、0．78）。结论ArtisanIOL矫正高度近视是有效的，术中采用上方5．5mm巩膜隧道切口时，术后1年可在眼球175°子午线方向产生＋2．25D的手术源性散光。

Artisan虹膜夹持型人工晶状体的临床研究

目的观察Artisan虹膜固定型人工晶状体治疗无晶状体眼以及晶状体脱位的临床效果。方法收集无晶状体眼及晶状体脱位(Marfan综合征和外伤性引起)患者10例(12只眼),采用Artisan虹膜固定人工晶状体治疗,比较手术前后患者的裸眼及矫正视力,观察术后并发症等情况。结果治疗后患者裸眼视力明显提高(t=3.973,P=0.002);虽然手术前后矫正视力相比没有统计学意义(t=2.004,P=0.070),但是有91.67%的患者术后裸眼视力达到甚至高于术前最佳矫正视力。随访1～6个月,没有出现眼内出血,人工晶状体移位,角膜失代偿等严重并发症。结论对于无晶状体眼及晶状体脱位的患者来说,植入Artisan虹膜固定型人工晶状体也是一种较好的选择。

“锤子”(Smartisan)是如何打磨出来的——基于互联网环境下品牌的创立与传播

文章从需求引领、人格助推、工匠精神和品牌引爆四个方面分析"锤子"(Smartisan)T1品牌快速成功创立的关键,对现阶段互联网环境下的品牌创建和传播有借鉴作用。

Artisan虹膜夹持型人工晶状体治疗无晶状体眼临床观察

目的观察Artisan虹膜夹持型人工晶状体治疗无晶状体眼的疗效。方法将20例(20眼)无晶体眼患者行Artisan虹膜夹持型人工晶状体植入术,观察术前与术后1 m与6 m患者最佳矫正视力(BCVA)、眼压、角膜内皮细胞计数。结果患者术后BCVA优于术前BCVA,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);眼压手术前后比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),术后1 m与6 m角膜内皮细胞丢失率与术前比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论 Artisan虹膜夹持型人工晶状体植入术治疗无晶状体眼是一种安全、有效的术式。

Measurement and Scaling of Mercury on Soil and Air in a Historical Artisanal Gold Mining Area in Northeastern China

The Jiapigou gold mine area, located in the upper reaches of the Songhua River, was the first and largest artisanal gold mine once in China, and it used to be prominent in two marking years(1870 and 1974). Jiapigou area had a gold mining history of more than 190 years, which was first opened in 1820. Gold extraction with algamation was applied as the dominant method of excavation from 1940 to 2008, and a total of more than 100 t of gold were extracted from the mine using this method and it was estimated that 100–200 t Hg were released, thus causing severe mercury environmental pollution in the mining area. In the experimental campaigns of this study, in situ air and soil Hg concentrations and air-soil Hg fluxes were measured from April 2009 to December 2011. The results showed that in the study area the total gaseous mercury(TGM) concentration exhibited remarkable spatial and temporal distribution patterns, i.e. the TGM gradually decreased following the increase in distance to gold mining sites in space, and the values in spring, summer and autumn were elevated by 1–2 orders of magnitude in comparison with those in winter. Furthermore, at other sampling sites the total soil mercury(TSM) concentration in spring was higher than that in autumn, except for the contrary laws demonstrated at the Erdaogou mining site. However, in spring and winter the Hg flux between air and soil was under the control of different environmental factors, and the characteristics were clear and distinct. In spring the Hg flux between air and soil was directly under the control of solar irradiation, and the releasing process was predominant with a remarkable positive correlation to solar irradiation. Nevertheless, in winter the Hg fluxes were indirectly under the control of solar irradiation, which caused thermal inversion due to the thick snow cover. The depositing process was predominant and the correlations between Hg flux and air temperature was remarkably negative, and there was a positive correlation between Hg flux and solar irradiation.

Assessment of Mercury Pollution in Rivers and Streams around Artisanal Gold Mining Areas of the Birim North District of Ghana

Artisanal gold mining in local communities is on the increase. This has led to concerns about mercury pollution resulting from these mining activities. This study was conducted to assess the level of mercury pollution in rivers and streams around artisanal gold mining areas of the Birim North District of Ghana. Rivers, streams, sediments and boreholes were sampled to determine total mercury levels during the wet and dry seasons and to explore the potential impact of the mercury levels on water quality in the area. The results show that the total mercury concentrations measured upstream were significantly lower than concentrations in samples taken downstream. Also, the total mercury concentrations measured in the stream water samples in both seasons exceeded the WHO guideline limit (1.0 μg/L) for drinking water. However, one downstream total mercury concentration exceeded the guideline limit in the dry season. The total mercury concentrations in sediments upstream and downstream in both seasons exceeded the US-EPA guideline value of 0.2 mg/kg. The boreholes in the study area have total mercury concentrations exceeding the WHO guideline limit during both seasons. Total mercury concentrations in the boreholes in the wet season were lower than the dry season.

Diagnostics of Environmental Risks and Mapping of Surface Water Sensitivity Due to Metal Contamination from Artisanal Gold Mining in Côte d’Ivoire: Case of Angovia, Kokumbo, Hire and Agbaou

The present study performed on the Angovia, Kokumbo, Hire and Agbaou sites consisted of mapping the environmental risks linked to artisanal gold mining activities in C?te d’Ivoire. An inventory was done by observing the different phases of gold extraction and identifying the risks associated with these phases. Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), the representation of the spatial distribution of the pollution risks has been realized from indicator descriptives of the environmental sensitivity (i.e. slope, proximity to the watercourse, soil cover) and the transfer indicator (i.e. rainfall). The analysis of this map showed low sensitivity of mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) measured in the waters of the Hire and Agbaou localities, while moderate sensitivity in Kokumbo surface waters and high sensitivity for those of Angovia locality were observed. Moreover, analysis of Hg, As, Cu and Zn content spatial distribution maps in surface waters revealed that Hg and As come mainly from the artisanal mining activities for most localities. Among these metallic trace elements observed, only the Hg content was above the WHO Limit Values, 1994 (>0.001 mg·L-1). The continuous spread of metallic trace elements in surface water can pose serious health problems for people living around artisanal gold mining sites, hence the need to put in place a protection plan against contamination.

Surface Water Sediments Characterization Using Metallic Trace Elements (MTEs): Case of the Artisanal Gold Mining Sites of Kokumbo (Côte d’Ivoire)

The main purpose of this study is to characterize the surface sediments of the Kokumbo artisanal gold mining sites in Metallic trace Elements (MTEs). A total of 12 samples of surface water sediments were collected for this study. The samples were analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The mean concentrations of Mn (611.37 mg/kg) and Zn (955.86 mg/kg) in the sediments were very high compared to the standard in unpolluted sediments. The enrichment factor (EF) shows that there is an enrichment of Mn at some sites (EF (Mn) > 2). The presence of As, Mn, and Zn is also highlighted by the geo-accumulation index (I-geo) which shows slight pollution in Mn (0 < I-geo (Mn) < 1) on some sites. Moderate pollution for As (1 < I-geo (As) < 2) was determined at the treatment site and high pollution in Zn at some sites in the area (I-geo (Zn) > 3). This study shows that the presence of Zn in the sediments is linked to artisanal gold mining activities. Indeed, Zn is much used for gold recovery. The statistical analysis (PCA) shows, on the one hand, natural mineralization of the sediments and addition of metals linked to anthropic activities corresponding to the erosion of mining discharges. The surface sediments of the Kokumbo mining sites show pollution in As, Mn, and Zn.

Assessment of Natural Radioactivity in Rivers Sediment and Soil from the Copper Belt Artisanal Mining Region, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The concentrations and distribution of naturally occurring radionuclides (238U, 235U, 234U, 230Th, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, 228Ra, and 40K) were determined by alpha and gamma spectrometry in soil and sediments collected from Luilu and Dilala rivers located in the mining district of Kolwezi (Lualaba Province) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The average concentrations of 238U and 226Ra in the analyzed samples were 5 - 10 times higher than the world average values for soil provided by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. However, the average concentrations of 232Th were found similar to the world average. In both river basins, artisanal mining activities and mineral washing sites displayed the higher concentration values of radionuclides. The mean values of health risk indices calculated for those sites were found significantly higher compared to world average levels. Radiation protection measures seem needed to ensure the radiation safety of local populations. Graphical Abstract

A Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) Analysis of Heavy Metals in Soil and Plantain (<i>Musa paradisiaca</i>) Leaves at an Artisanal Gold Mining Settlement in Southwestern Nigeria

The study examined the contamination levels of the soil and plantain leaves in three communities in Atakunmosa west local government area of Osun State in southwest Nigeria, where gold mining activities have recently become intensive. Plantain is a major food crop, whose leaves are used to wrap food items for household consumption. The objectives were to examine the heavy metal concentrations in the soil and plantain leaves around the gold mine site and compare them with standard recommended safe limits for the environment. Soil and plantain leaves were sampled at different locations around the sites and at a control site from a neighboring local government area with no history of gold mining activities between March 2015 and February 2016. Both soil and leave samples were processed and analyzed for selected heavy metals (Cd, As, Cu, Zn, Cr, Mn and Fe) using the Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) in the laboratory. The study showed higher concentrations than the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limits of the heavy metals in the soils and plantain leaves. Dry season concentrations of the variables were also higher than the wet season and the heavy metal concentrations at the control station were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of the mining environment. The study concluded that the ecosystems in the artisanal gold mining region are vulnerable to bioaccumulation of heavy metals and the leaves from the sites are sources of heavy metal contamination if consumed or used to wrap food items.

Motivational Strategies to Improve Artisan’s Productivity in the Construction Industry in Ghana

Motivation is a strategy adopted by organisational managers to improve organisational performance. Most researchers have found different factors that affect the motivation on a different level. The aim of the survey was to examine the motivational strategies for improving productivity among artisans in the construction companies in the Eastern Region and the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design utilising the quantitative approach. A purposive random sampling technique was employed to choose 90 workers to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire was utilised to gather information from respondents. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) were used to analyse the data collected. Results from the survey showed that artisans see motivation as very significant in their workplace. The study found that empowerment, quality of life, and monetary incentive have significant relation with motivation and effective use of such strategies could assist construction industry practitioners to enhance craftsmen performance. The study contributes to a few pieces of literature existing in construction motivational strategies. The findings point to the fact that industrial players should pay more attention to the motivational strategies to assist artisans’ function effectively in their work environment.

Investigation into the Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining on the Livelihood Foundation of Baomahun Community in Southern Sierra Leone

Artisanal gold mining has a long history in Sierra Leone. Mining is the most important economic activity in the communities endowed with minerals. Many people who are often disadvantaged in the labour market are engaged in this sector. The poor implementation of mining laws and regulations is fueling the rate of involvement in the sector. In-depth studies of the effect of artisanal mining activities on the livelihood strategy of non-miming population in Sierra Leone are rare. The overarching objective of this work is to bring to light the effect of artisanal gold mining on the environment and livelihood of local resident with a case study of Baomahun, Delenga Section of Valunia Chiefdom, Bo District, Southern Sierra Leone. The study population comprised of people residing at the study area as at 2015. The primary sampling units included elements from the Baomahun vicinity such as miners, mines monitors, conservation agents and local residents of the village. The sample frame employed in this study was the random selection of artisanal miners at each site where mining was being undertaken, mines monitoring officers, conservation agents and local residents. Sample size was 76 people. This was done to indicate proper representation of the study area. And also 76 questionnaires were administered to miners, mines monitors, conservation agents and local residents. Both primary data and secondary data were used in the study. Detailed explanation of the analyses was accomplished by both qualitative and quantitative methods. The study revealed that there are varied degrees of visible impacts of artisanal mining on the environments. They include soil depression;creation of water pools in abandoned unfilled mines and diversion, and turbidity of local streams. Artisanal mining as an economic activity has imparted both positively and negatively on the livelihood of resident. Significant gaps and disparities exist in the implementation of the current Mines and Minerals Act of 2009 on the artisanal mining sector.

Spatial Planning in Ghana: Antecedents and the Role of Local Artisans

This paper explored the antecedents and the role of local artisans in Spatial Planning (SP) activities in Ghana. The paper was based on the results of an inspection of 5896 already built houses at Mepe in the Volta Region of Ghana. A mixed method research approach was used to gather the data through snowball non-probability sampling technique. It enabled the researchers to identify 100 local artisans. Survey questionnaires were used, which was followed by structured interviews with five (5) elders who lived in the town for over 65 years. The results showed that the early houses were built on community lands with mud and thatch clustered with narrow and unnamed alleys. Property owners heavily depended on local artisans for professional guidance, although some artisans were ill-trained and unaware of existing government SP regulations. The study was limited to artisans who practiced at the local community level. The findings showed that many local artisans were poorly trained, resulting in poor workmanship and non-compliance with local planning regulations. The paper recommends the integration of SP into the artisanal curricula at both local and national levels to improve their skills.

Landscape Analysis for PaV1 Infection in Lobsters Panulirus argus from the Artisanal Fishery of the Eastern Coast of Yucatan, Mexico

Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1) is considered a major threat to spiny lobsters Panulirus argus. In this study Geospatial analysis was used to analyze PaV1 distribution in an artisanal fishery of spiny lobster Panulirus argus population from the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Adult and sub-adult P. argus and seabed coverage data were collected from thirty artisanal fishing sites. Five seabed coverage types were identified: seagrass;sand/seagrass mixture;sand only;coral/sand mixture;and seaweed. No juveniles were examined. Of the 358 collected lobsters, PaV1 was identified in four organisms (three sub-adults and one adult) from two fishing sites (termed A & B), both found in a seagrass coverage area. Overall prevalence was of 1.12%. Prevalence was of 20% (2/10) at one site and of 12.6% (2/16) at the other.

Analysis of the Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Central Ivory Coast, West Africa

Ivory Coast is a country rich in base metals and precious minerals: gold, manganese, diamond, iron, bauxite, cobalt and nickel. These natural resources are exposed to destruction and fragmentation by mining activities. The artisanal and small-scale exploitation of gold are increasingly practiced in our rural areas. These activities escape often in the control and monitoring of the mining administration. In order to better constrain these activities on the environment, the present work used remote sensing imageries to see its spatio-temporal impacts in the rural world in central Ivory Coast. The results show that gold artisanal activities have been practiced since 2013 and are experiencing an increasingly important growth. We note a devastation of forests and savannahs, a pollution of surface water, as well as an increase in poverty in rural areas. These activities are practiced near habited areas (villages). This creates a reduction of cultivatable soil. Remote sensing imageries make it possible to quickly map areas at large-scale gold mining in time and space.

Identification and Characterization of Métiers in Multi-Species Artisanal Fisheries. A Case Study in Northwest Spain

Artisanal fisheries are characterized by using a vast array of different fishing gears and target species. Such heterogeneity has traditionally complicated their management and the availability of accurate data on fishing effort and incomes. This study identifies and characterizes the métiers currently used by an artisanal fishing fleet based in a coastal Atlantic region in South-Europe (Asturias, Northwest Spain), by applying an integrated method of analysis which combines administrative data on fishing licenses, daily sales statistics and information from surveys. As a result, 21 artisanal fishing métiers have been identified, with special relevance of the trammel net (targeting Lophius spp.), the Merluccius longline and the Merluccius gillnet métiers. Spatio-temporal patterns of fishing effort have been also described, and outputs and inputs demands per métier have been quantified. It has been also found a high degree of alternation between different métiers during the fishing season and significant differences in terms of technical aspects and workforce. Finally, fishermen’s short- and long-term strategies (métier choice) are discussed, different comparisons are made on the basis of other South-European studies and main findings are linked to artisanal fisheries management.