The 2010 lead poisoning outbreak that claimed the lives of more than 400 children in artisanal gold mining villages in Zamfara, Nigeria is the tragic result of high gold prices, a geologic anomaly, and processing of ores in residential areas. Today, these villages face a growing crisis related to conflict and climate change. While the situation in Zamfara is unparalleled in many ways, the interactions between climate change, conflict, and mining consistently overlap a global scale. The scope of this analysis extends beyond the Nigerian crisis. Understanding the complexities of challenges faced in Zamfara provides insight into how these issues impact vulnerable communities globally, and which strategies should be considered to solve this wicked problem. Analysis of the relationships between climate change, conflict, and mining in Zamfara and globally via literature review and examination of current events in the Sahel region. Supporting healthy artisanal mining communities, as was prioritized in Zamfara, must be a focus of environmental, health, and mineral management policies. This includes the consideration of multiple environmental health challenges, the protection of vulnerable groups, government-supported formalization programs, and meaningful involvement of local leadership in developing, implementing, and sustaining intervention strategies to enshrine ASM as a poverty reduction, climate change adaptation strategy. Rapidly rising metal prices and demand will continue to fuel environmental health crises associated with mining. Given Africa’s growing role in the global mineral economy and the massive number of subsistence communities who will continue to be impacted by climate change, strategies that support responsible artisanal mining are both a necessity for preventing future health crises and an opportunity for promoting regional stability and peace.

Khaidarkan, Batken Province, Kyrgyzstan is home to one of the world’s largest and last primary mercury mines. Doctors without Borders (MSF) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Kyrgyzstan have found that the Batken region has an elevated rate of non-communicable diseases (NCD) within the country. NCD can be caused by environmental pollution. A human health risk assessment was conducted to investigate heavy metal exposure. Using a hand-held X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer for soil screening is faster and less expensive than reliance on bench-scale methods. To establish a site-specific mercury conversion factor between XRF and the local MOH lab’s Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) with a Pyrolyzer attachment, soil samples were collected in Khaidarkan and surrounding villages. Samples were analyzed by XRF in three stages: in situ, ex situ-bulk, and ex situ-sieved. The ex situ-sieved samples were analyzed by AAS. Analysis results indicate that in situ readings can be used as a qualitative tool for screening, and a conversion factor of 1.7 was most appropriate for converting ex situ-bulk/ex situ-sieved and AAS results. This analysis enables the MOH laboratory and others to use XRF as a quick and cost-effective monitoring tool for Hg contamination in soil.

The legacy of Soviet-era agricultural practices in Central Asia has contributed to severe environmental degradation through residual organochlorine pesticide contamination, dramatic reduction in surface water, and the near-total desiccation of the Aral Sea. Few studies have investigated hazards to human health, despite the region’s elevated burden of disease. This study aimed to characterize environmental hazards in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, one of the most environmentally and economically impacted regions. Environmental assessment included the collection of 140 soil, water, and sediment samples across 79 unique locations. Pesticide results showed organochlorine pesticides over US reference levels in 100% of water samples, with 30% also exceeding in hexavalent chromium. Water salinity is a primary concern: expressed as total dissolved solids, values ranged from 563 to 3852 mg/L. Over half of the 46 soil and sediment samples tested above reference levels for aldrin. Soil and sediment sample salt content reached up to 8.7%. Residual persistent organochlorine pesticides remain a significant health risk in Karakalpakstan, while water availability is decreasing, and water quality parameters, including salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, dissolved metals, and nitrate levels, are degrading. Such challenges extend beyond the Aral Sea Basin: as salinization and desiccation of endorheic lakes continue on a global scale, similar situations may become commonplace. Research and interventions from this region can serve to support other similarly impacted areas.