Alluvial gold miners on Bougainville have been told to be cautious with the use of chemicals as they could be unhealthy for miners and damage the environment.
Joseph Watawi, Business and Consumer Affairs Minister in the Autonomous Bougainville Government, said he was concerned about the way miners use chemicals.
He said the damage could be disastrous if there was any spillage into the river system.
Currently, traders go directly to villages to buy gold from miners. Mr Watawi said these people must go through the ABG “so the government knows what is happening”.
He said the ABG would have to investigate reports that expatriate traders accessed villages and bypassed government authorities.
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