Small-scale Gold Mining Research Articles

Does the use of cocoa farmlands for artisanal small-scale gold mining really increase household food insecurity? Evidence from Ghana

In recent years, the use of cocoa farmlands for artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in mineral rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa has been on ascendency. Previous studies have examined the environmental, health and livelihood implications of the land use decision. Notably, studies on the indirect effects of the food security implications of the nexus between ASGM and agriculture abounds but limited attention has been given to the direct effect of using farmlands for ASGM on household food security. Using a primary cross-sectional data on 400 cocoa farmers in the Amansie West District of Ghana and an endogenous switching regression model, this study analyzes the impact of using cocoa farmlands for ASGM on household-specific food security indicators. The study finds that farmers who use their farmlands for ASGM; 1) increase their household food insecurity, 2) increase their household dietary diversity, but in the short-run due to income effect, 3) increase their inability to use effective coping mechanisms to fight household food insecurity. Policy efforts geared toward the use of farmlands for ASGM to address food insecurity among smallholder farmers in mineral-rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa should focus on: 1) reducing liquidity constraints of smallholder cocoa farmers, 2) promoting stakeholder-driven productivity enhancing interventions, and 3) creating attractive policy environments for the youth to enter into farming.

Mercury presence in cassava farming, Manihot esculenta Crantz, in the vicinity of artisanal gold exploration areas in Southern Amazonia

Cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz (Euphorbiaceae), a native plant to Brazil, is one of the main sources of carbohydrate in the diet of Brazilians. In gold-mining regions, such as the south of the Amazon, it is inevitable that crops will come closer to Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mines (ASGM), creating risks of production contamination by mercury (Hg). Due to the importance of cassava in the population’s diet, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the proximity of ASGM on Hg concentrations in soil and cassava samples and to assess the risk of human exposure to Hg through consumption of this food. Samples were collected in two areas along the BR-163 highway, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Forty-two samples of cassava (roots, stems and leaves) and soil were collected. It seems there is no effect of ASGM on Hg soil concentrations. The highest concentrations of Hg in the leaves were observed in the area close to ASGM, indicating higher atmospheric deposition. In the mining area, the higher bioconcentration factor indicates the outcome of Hg from the atmosphere also on the concentrations in the roots. Daily intake and health risk quotient estimation were performed for cassava and cassava flour, with the highest values observed in the vicinity of ASGM, however, all below the established limits, indicating that, currently, the consumption of these foods by the population is safe. The cassava crop can be used as a bioindicator of atmospheric pollution by Hg caused by ASGM.

Mercury Levels in Groundwater near Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mines in Migori County, Kenya

In Migori County, artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is an economic activity that uses mercury during the amalgamation process to obtain gold. The waste generated in the form of soil tailings and pan-pond water contains mercury and is located close to community boreholes. The proximity may predispose groundwater to mercury contamination. Boreholes are one of the main water sources in Migori County. Ingestion is one of the ways mercury can get into the human body. This study was conducted to establish mercury concentration in groundwater from boreholes, soil tailings and pan-pond water located near five mine sites in Migori County during dry and wet seasons in comparison with drinking water standards required by KEBS and NEMA effluents discharge standards. The five mines were: -Masara, Osiri Matanda, Macalder, Kitere and Kehancha. The study used a cross-sectional-analytical study design and focused on boreholes found within a distance of 6 km from each of the five mines. Fifteen boreholes were proportionately sampled to obtain groundwater samples. 20 pan-pond water and soil tailing samples were collected in both dry and wet seasons as per the respective sampling protocols applied. Inductively Coupled Plasma –Mass Spectroscopy (7900 ICP-MS) was used to measure mercury levels. A paired t-test was used to compare the means of the levels of mercury in groundwater obtained within the two seasons. The study established that during the dry season, all of the boreholes had groundwater mercury levels higher than the recommended limit by KEBS of 0.001 mg/L. There was a decrease in the levels of mercury in groundwater as distances from the mine increased. However, during the wet season, all of the boreholes had mercury levels below the limit of detection. The study established a significant difference in the levels of mercury in groundwater between wet and dry seasons at a 95% confidence level. Mercury levels in soil tailings and pan-pond water were above the NEMA effluents discharge standards of 0.05 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/L, respectively, in the dry season. During the wet season, all pan-pond water achieved the recommended mercury level of NEMA effluent discharge limits, while the soil tailings had mercury levels above the recommended limit. This study recommends that there is a need to implement mine waste remediation. Communities near the mines continuously conduct groundwater heavy metal analysis during the dry season to protect their health

An analysis of the foremost issues with artisanal and small-scale gold mining from Ghana's perspective.

Ghana has abundant mineral reserves in many of its regions, and gold mining remains one of the country's main sources of revenue. Given Ghana's current position in the global gold market, this review provides insight into the ASGM sector to give an understanding of the pertinent issues in the sector and its role in the socio-economic development of the country. This review assesses the effects of ASGM operations in economic, social, health, and environmental contexts to raise awareness of issues related to ASGM. It evaluates the measures taken to lessen the consequences of ASGM and maintain the sector's long-term viability. This review considers the foremost issues, including continued Hg use in ASGM, recent use of cyanide in ASGM, pollution of water bodies, and toxic metal contamination. It takes into account sustainable measures and remedial techniques that Ghana has implemented to alleviate the negative effects and support best mining practices. The primary factors influencing people to participate in ASGM are the need for quick sources of income, the scarcity of jobs in rural areas, the economic hardship, the need to supplement earnings from other activities like trading, and the comparatively meager profits from agricultural activities. Findings indicated that to gain more traction in addressing the challenges in the ASGM sector, the involvement of the community and direct stakeholders is essential to promoting responsible mining and environmentally sustainable practices. This review will increase awareness and pressure on decision-makers, researchers, and ASGM communities about the relevance of environmental conservation and sustainability.

Pollution, obligation, and care: perspectives from artisanal and small-scale gold mining and farming in rural Colombia

ABSTRACT People making a living in rural Antioquia, Colombia, find themselves in a double bind: they require a healthy environment to farm and grow food, but many turn to artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) to supplement their incomes. The significant environmental harms associated with ASGM – from mercury and other heavy-metal contamination to deforestation and habitat loss – have led to both academic and popular discourse treating ASGM as an environmental problem to be understood and remedied scientifically. Our research in the small town of Andes (Antioquia region in Colombia) investigated how local residents themselves understood “pollution.” Drawing on a literature review, archival research, site visits, and interviews with experts and local residents, we show that rural people understood pollution as emergent from complex webs of relationships and longer histories of government neglect. Exploring how people made sense of harm and expressed care builds on research in STS that demonstrates both the potentials and pitfalls for scientific concepts and tools to understand and intervene in compromised environments.

Chinese participation in Ghana's illegal small-scale gold mining: Linking local pull factors to distributional inequities

Growing attention paid to the environmental impacts associated with informal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in Ghana has sparked debate about the recent proliferation of Chinese migrants in the sector. This paper contributes to this discussion by focusing on local pull factors, particularly, those that relate to distributional inequity in Ghanaian mining policy and how they serve as catalyst for illegal mining. Findings from qualitative exploratory case studies reveal that illegal Chinese ASM is caused by local grievances and resistance to systemic distributional inequities in Ghana's mineral policy on two related fronts, including inequitable mineral wealth distribution, and inequitable mining land regime. These findings suggest that policy efforts to find a lasting solution to illegal foreign ASM, and illegal mining in the broader sense, should engage and collaborate with all the relevant local stakeholders to address these distributional inequities.

Identification of Mercury Content in Children Stunting Patients Aged 0–24 Months in the Regions Small Scale Gold Mine in Krueng Sabee District, Aceh Jaya Regency

Mercury is a type of heavy metal that is included in the category of Hazardous and Toxic Materials (B3) waste because it can harm living things and pollute the environment. Community mining activities are generally known to be the largest contributor of mercury to the environment. In addition, people's mining activities can indirectly result in the destruction of the landscape and vegetation on it. Mercury exposure can have a negative impact on the health of children living in ASGM areas. A reduced immune response or immune system in children living in ASGM areas with a high risk of exposure to mercury and exacerbated by concomitant malnutrition is very at risk of stunting. this study aims to identify mercury content in children stunting patients aged 0–24 months in the region's small-scale gold mine in Krueng Sabee district, Aceh Jaya Regency. The AAS instrument is used to analyze urine mercury levels. Three of the 11 urine samples did not show mercury, while the remaining 08 samples were found to contain mercury, each of the 08 urine samples was found to have mercury levels exceeding the acceptable threshold (7μg/L) Human Biomonitoring (HBM), while three twenty-nine samples had urine mercury levels below the threshold. This study concluded that 88% of stunted toddlers were found to contain mercury that exceeded the threshold. Meanwhile, 03 urine samples did not contain mercury.

Environment Degradation, Health Threats, and Legality at the Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining Sites in Indonesia.

Artisanal Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) activities, despite offering numerous economic incentives, inflict negative impacts on the environment and public health due to the use of mercury or cyanide. This study aims to compare three ASGM locations in Indonesia in terms of environmental impacts and potential health problems in the community. As part of this research, field surveys at three ASGM illegal locations with different conditions, observations, literature studies, and interviews with the community and stakeholders were conducted. At each of the survey sites, the potential threat to public health due to the use of mercury was determined to be high. Additionally, many of the environmental impacts detected were deemed to have reached a high-alert stage, in some cases even posing a level of extreme danger. Based on these results, it has become clear that a form of mining management which reduces the negative impacts on the surrounding environment and community health is needed. The suggestions put forward in this paper, including the call for greater control of ASGM, may also be applied in other developing countries which suffer from similar problems and conditions.

Beyond the numbers: Group formation in the artisanal and small-scale mining in Ghana

The dramatic increase in Artisanal and Small-scale gold mining (ASM) in the developing world, especially sub-Saharan Africa, is not a happenstance. This has been due to the steady decline in livelihoods based on agriculture and the increasing destitution of many households in these areas. In Ghana, the ASM sector is ever-expanding, providing direct employment for many individuals. The nature of the activity, however, is labour-intensive and thus requires the miners to collaborate and work in groups. Even though traditionally, numbers have mattered in group formation, this paper argues that size is not a critical consideration in forming mining groups. Based on fieldwork in the Birim North District of Ghana using focus group discussions and interviews, the paper found that issues of leadership, reciprocity, trust, and mutual respect are instrumental in forming ASM groups. Not discounting the strengthening of their bonds through multiple locations, the respondents are empathic that rather than size, issues of leadership qualities and conformity to rules and arrangements are vital considerations for group formation. It is recommended that stakeholders take a critical look at ASM to sanitise and improve the perception of the ASM miners as they are well-organised. Still, if they have internal structures which are well organised, they can be relied upon in a comprehensive sanitization.

Chinese Technology and the Transformation of the Rural Economy in Ghana: Evidence From Galamsey in the Ashanti and Savannah Regions

Abstract The recent Chinese involvement in small-scale gold mining in Ghana has received wide publicity and scholarly attention. While the literature has focused on environmental sustainability, political accountability, and institutional reforms, it is yet to examine local adoption of Chinese technology and its impact on Ghana’s rural economy. We argue that it is in the interstices between the formal economy and entrepreneurship within the informal economy that opportunities for Chinese interventions emerge. Using evidence from Manso Akropong in the Ashanti region and Bole in the Savannah region, this article shows that, while Chinese technology’s impact is transformative, the outcomes are divergent in different regions. In Manso Akropong, the intensification of mining backed by Ghanaian–Chinese collaborations has led to the environmental destruction, creating competition between gold mining and cocoa farming that had underpinned Ghana’s rural prosperity. In Bole, where less aggressive Chinese technology such as Changfa and rubber mats are incorporated without direct Chinese participation, a more sustainable pattern of growth has emerged. This comparative study suggests that besides the large-scale projects and state-led training programmes, grassroots actors like informal artisanal miners are at the forefront of technology transfer in the China–Africa encounter.

Mapping the Reality of Hg-Free Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining

Artisanal gold mining (AGM) is a very important topic, of which the environmental and social impact has been widely studied. However, there are few studies on operational efficiency, financial analysis, and the lack of mine planning. The purpose of this work was to investigate whether AGM operation without mercury is sustainable. The following parameters were analyzed in the case study: the general situation, interaction with the company that owns the area, production, drilling and blasting, loading and transport, freight to the centralized plant, workforce, materials and supplies, geological control planning and the relationship with the processing plant. Even without the mercury variable, AGM was found to be unsustainable. The lack of planning and operational inefficiency did not allow for continuous operation. The results of this research provide guidance on the future steps the current government and society should take to achieve sustainable AGM.

In Utero Exposure to Metals and Birth Outcomes in an Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Birth Cohort in Madre de Dios, Peru.

Few birth cohorts in South America evaluate the joint effect of minerals and toxic metals on neonatal health. In Madre de Dios, Peru, mercury exposure is prevalent owing to artisanal gold mining, yet its effect on neonatal health is unknown. We aimed to determine whether toxic metals are associated with lower birth weight and shorter gestational age independently of antenatal care and other maternal well-being factors. Data are from the COhorte de NAcimiento de MAdre de Dios (CONAMAD) birth cohort, which enrolled pregnant women in Madre de Dios prior to their third trimester and obtained maternal and cord blood samples at birth. We use structural equation models (SEMs) to construct latent variables for the maternal metals environment (ME) and the fetal environment (FE) using concentrations of calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, magnesium, mercury, lead, and arsenic measured in maternal and cord blood, respectively. We then assessed the relationship between the latent variables ME and FE, toxic metals, prenatal visits, hypertension, and their effect on gestational age and birth weight. Among 198 mothers successfully enrolled and followed at birth, 29% had blood mercury levels that exceeded the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention threshold of and 2 mothers surpassed the former threshold for blood lead. The current threshold value is . Minerals and toxic metals loaded onto ME and FE latent variables. ME was associated with FE (0.24; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.45). FE was associated with longer gestational age (2.31; 95% CI: , 4.51) and heavier birth weight. Mercury exposure was not directly associated with health outcomes. A 1% increase in maternal blood lead shortened gestational age by 0.05 d (; 95% CI: , ), which at the threshold resulted in a loss of 3.6 gestational days and in birth weight for newborns. Prenatal care visits were associated with improved birth outcomes, with a doubling of visits from 6 to 12 associated with 5.5 more gestational days (95% CI: 1.6, 9.4) and of birth weight (95% CI: 287.6, 350.7). Maternal lead, even at low exposures, was associated with shorter gestation and lower birth weight. Studies that focus only on harmful exposures or nutrition may mischaracterize the dynamic maternal ME and FE. SEMs provide a framework to evaluate these complex relationships during pregnancy and reduce overcontrolling that can occur with linear regression. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10557.

Dental Amalgam and the Minamata Convention on Mercury Treaty: Make Mercury History for All

Mercury, known as the most toxic non-radioactive element to man, poses a significant threat to all living beings and the environment in all its forms. As a global pollutant, it demands urgent attention and effective measures to mitigate its toxic effects. The Minamata Convention on Mercury Treaty, adopted in 2013 and enforced in 2017, stands as a vital instrument in combating this pervasive toxin. Presently, 144 countries have ratified the treaty, embodying the collective commitment to the mantra "Make Mercury History." As countries work diligently to eliminate mercury from various products and processes, such as thermometers, batteries, lighting, and cosmetics, dental amalgam remains a notable concern. Being one of the top mercury-containing products globally, dental amalgam has drawn attention for its phasedown approach within the treaty. The dental sector alone accounts for an estimated 340 tonnes of mercury usage each year. Alarmingly, mercury derived from dental amalgam infiltrates the black market, ultimately entering the artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, the primary source of global mercury pollution. Furthermore, dental amalgam plays a significant role in municipal wastewater mercury contamination, as it has been identified as the largest source of this toxic element in such environments. Considering its pervasive nature, diverse pathways of contamination, and its ability to bioaccumulate in both humans and the environment, it is evident that the toxic legacy of dental amalgam will persist long after the placement of the last amalgam filling. The pressing issue of mercury toxicity makes it imperative for action to be taken through the Minamata Convention on Mercury Treaty. As we strive to "Make Mercury History" for the well-being of all living organisms, mercury dental amalgam must be proactively addressed to prevent its continued contribution to global mercury pollution.

Mercury Exposure among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Four Gold Mining Districts in the East Region of Cameroon

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the single largest intentional-release of mercury (Hg) in the world. In Cameroon, there is paucity of data concerning the contribution of ASGM to human mercury contamination. This study aimed at providing new data for a region in Cameroon where ASGM is practiced, through an assessment of the concentration of total mercury (T-Hg) in hair as a function of occupational exposure, and investigating symptoms related to Hg toxicity. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 60 gold miners from four gold mining districts: Batouri, Kette, Ngoura and Bétaré-Oya. Questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, nature of work processes and symptoms of Hg toxicity. Scalp hair samples were drawn from all 60 respondents and analysis for total mercury (T-Hg) in hair was done via a milestone DMA-80 Mercury Analyzer. The results show that males (86.7%) were generally represented than females (13.3%). The minimum, maximum and mean concentrations of Hg in hair of miners across the four districts was 0 μg/g, 8.97 μg/g and 2.09±1.84 μg/g respectively. Over three-quarters (71.7%) of the miners had T-Hg in hair above the occupational toxic threshold of 1 μg/g set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), also identified as 66.7% in the “alert level” and 5% as “high” according the German Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Commission. The factors affecting the concentration of mercury in hair according to a multiple linear regression model (R2 = 0.400 and p = 0.03) were living in Bétaré-Oya, younger age, male sex, burning of amalgam, and increased number of working days per week. According to the same model (R2 = 0.076 and p = 0.940), the symptoms associated with mercury exposure were unusual tiredness, excessive sleeping, dizziness and visual difficulties. ASGM in the east region of Cameroon, therefore, is significantly contributing to Hg contamination in humans as a result of occupational exposures to Hg, and there is urgent need for interventions to mitigate human exposure, especially as adverse health effects cannot be excluded following long-term exposures.

The lifeways of small-scale gold miners: Addressing sustainability transformations

Small-scale gold mining sustains millions of people’s lives and yet it stimulates environmental harms and social conflicts. Global environmental crises drive calls for fundamental change to how people live on the planet. For small-scale gold mining, this raises questions about whether current dynamics can provide a basis for sustainability transformations. Proposing the notion of gold lifeways to focus on the lived experience of mining and gold resources as relational phenomena, we ask what sustainability looks like from different miners’ perspectives and probe the practice dynamics of current transformation. Our methodology is social science-led and transdisciplinary. From multi-sited and trans-regional research between South America and Africa, we draw cases from Suriname, Guinea Conakry, and Uganda. Our study finds that gold lifeways give expression to different strands of sustainability: sustaining everyday life in mining; discourses framing mining practices; and government repression of mining. Hence, as our empirical data demonstrates, miner perspectives on sustainability gain content not in isolation, but as part of gold lifeways embedded within different contexts and shaped by societal dynamics. Ultimately, the transformative potency of small-scale gold mining is located in personal lives and precarious dynamics rather than glittering promises of a sustainable future.

Change in Values of Illegal Miners and Inhabitants and Reduction in Environmental Pollution after the Cessation of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: A Case of Bunikasih, Indonesia.

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) harms the environment and human health, because it requires mercury (Hg). Therefore, this study uses a questionnaire survey to identify the effects of the medical checkup findings, group discussion, and educational seminar on the values of illegal miners and residents in Bunikasih, Indonesia, regarding the environmental and health effects of Hg. Transdisciplinary communities of practice (TDCoP) were formed to pursue alternative livelihoods than illegal ASGM. Environmental pollution after ASGM closure was assessed. The questionnaire showed that respondents changed their views on Hg's effects and were willing to stop ASGM practices. In an environmental impact assessment study, tea leaf samples were obtained between the ASGM activity location and village housing in two periods during ASGM closure to identify the concentrations of Hg, lead, and arsenic. Their mean concentration values in Period 1 (2) were 0.54 ± 0.14, 0.66 ± 0.09, and 0.34 ± 0.12 mg kg-1 (0.08 ± 0.04, 0.34 ± 0.14, and 0.07 ± 0.06 mg kg-1), respectively, indicating a decrease in environmental pollution. In conclusion, the government-driven cessation of ASGM in the study area shows a reduction in environmental pollution, and the change in the perception of the participants regarding the ASGM and TDCoP approaches help to make these changes permanent.

Contrasting mercury contamination scenarios and site susceptibilities confound fish mercury burdens in Suriname, South America

In Suriname, mercury (Hg) use has recently increased because of gold mining, which has put fish-reliant communities (e.g., Indigenous and Tribal) at risk of enhanced Hg exposure through the riverine fish these communities consume. To quantify how the magnitude of these risks change according to location and time, we measured total mercury (HgT) in fish at sites downstream and upstream of an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) operation in 2004–2005 and in 2017–2018. We tested whether fish HgT burdens over dynamic ranges were increased. Surprisingly, our findings did not support broadly increased fish Hg burden over time or that proximity to ASGM was diagnostic to fish HgT-burden. Subsequently, we elected to test the HgT stable isotope ratios on a set of freshly collected 2020 fish to determine whether differences in Hg source and delivery pathways might cofound results. We found that remote unmined sites were more susceptible to gaseous elemental Hg deposition pathways, leading to enhanced risk of contamination, whereas ASGM proximate sites were not. These results highlight that elemental mercury releases from ASGM practices may have significant impact on fish-reliant communities that are far removed from ASGM point source contamination.

Rural Knowledge Transformation in Terms of Mercury Used in Artisanal Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM)-A Case Study in Gorontalo, Indonesia.

Gorontalo is reputed to be one of the best-quality gold producers in the Indonesian archipelago. Gold production has been largely achieved through the activities of artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM), which as part of its extraction process, primarily uses mercury-a substance known to cause negative impacts on health and the environment, leading also to numerous socio-economic issues. This research aims (1) to investigate the extent of rural knowledge regarding mercury and to determine whether a video that explains mercury and the problems that occur as a result of ASGM can significantly transform rural populations' knowledge; (2) to inspect different factors separating the SR group (those who live in the same regency as the ASGM area) from the NR group (those who live in the neighboring regency/city of the ASGM area) and to find out whether said factors are statistically significant. The results show that the test subjects' knowledge of mercury had increased after watching the video, and that their willingness to oppose ASGM activities is one of the significant factors within the two groups. Moreover, this paper briefly describes the follow-up activities of the SRIREP project (Co-creation of Sustainable Regional Innovation for Reducing Risk of High-impact Environmental Pollution) in encouraging rural communities to explore sustainable livelihoods as an alternative to ASGM.

Performing traceability: Unpacking the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) trade circuit in Peru

To what extent can traceability requirements improve the transparency in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM)? This article addresses the crucial but rarely explored problem of gold traceability, and what happens when gold moves from mine to market. Building on transparency discussions that scrutinize the power dynamics behind information demands, we argue that the push for origin information of minerals can create an ideal scenario for performative governance (Ding, 2020) in which actors feign traceability to continue participating in the gold value chain. To present evidence of these dynamics, we outline how gold circulates in two ASGM constellations in Peru: Arequipa (in the Andes) and Madre de Dios (in the Amazon). We find that Northern market concerns regarding the legal origin of gold has created contradictions in Peru's formalization regulatory framework. To bypass these barriers, actors along the value chain will benefit from the assistance of “logistical entrepreneurs” (Schouten et al., 2019) to secure gold production and trade. We conclude that, rather than promoting meaningful change towards a more responsible and transparent gold value chain, traceability requirements can promote more opaque practices and introduce more complexity into an already highly informal sector such as ASGM.

Total Bacteria and Fungi in Gold-Mine Tailing in Buru of Indonesia after Three-Year Natural Revegetation

The concern of agricultural environment damage due to amalgamation process of gold mining in Indonesia is increased. Gold mine tailing deposition in agricultural land pose a serious problem about the mercury (Hg) accumulation in soil. The objective of this study was to verify the population of heterotroph-aerobic bacteria and filamentous fungi in the tailing deposit grown with pioneer plants in comparison to both population in bare tailing after three-year revegetation. Moreover, the research was conducted to analyze the different of acidity (pH) and electrical conductivity (EC) of both sites. The study area was performed in artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Waelo village of Buru Regency, Maluku Province. The bacterial and fungal population in tailing that is naturally grown by sedges and grasses were lower than that in bare tailing without vegetation. In general, the bacterial and fungal count of tailing with vegetation was 9.3 and 4.3. while in bare tailing were 8.49 and 3.79. The acidity of both locations was not different but the pH was strongly acid ranged from 3.52-4.29. The EC was lower (21.61) in the tailing with vegetation compared to bare tailing without vegetation (58.94). This study suggested that the fungal and bacterial population as well as pH were increased after revegetation that benefit plant growth.