title: Environmental Health and Safety Hazards of Indigenous Small-Scale Gold Mining Using Cyanidation in the Philippines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This cross-sectional study aimed at the environmental health hazards at work and cyanide exposure of small-scale gold miners engaged in gold extraction from ores in a mining area in the Philippines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Methods consisted of structured questionnaire-guided interviews, work process observation tools, physical health assessment by medical doctors, and laboratory examination and blood cyanide determination in the blood samples of 34 indigenous small-scale gold miners from Benguet, Philippines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The small-scale gold miners worked for a mean of 10.3 years, had a mean age of 36 years, with mean lifetime mining work hours of 18,564. All were involved in tunneling work (100%) while a considerable number were involved in mixing cyanide with the ore (44%). A considerable number were injured (35%) during the mining activity, and an alarming number (35%) had elevated blood cyanide level. The most prevalent hazard was exposure to chemicals, particularly to cyanide and nitric acid, which were usually handled with bare hands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The small-scale gold miners were exposed to occupational and environmental hazards at work.
authors.affiliation: Medical Doctor and Community Health Practitioner, Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines.
authors.forename: Ana Marie R
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Research Professor, Institute of Health Policy and Development Studies, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippines; and Affiliate Faculty, Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila.
authors.forename: Jinky Leilanie Dp
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lu
keywords: Philippine mining; artisanal mining; cyanide exposure; environmental health and safety; gold extraction; small-scale mining