Risk assessment for small scale gold surface mining at Licuan Baay, Abra in the Philippines

Abstract

Small scale gold surface mining at Licuan Baay in Abra has been existing for more than five years. In this study, the surface mining activities at this site was observed to identify relevant issues and concerns as experienced by the small scale gold miners. Ore extraction sites are located approximately 500 m away from the processing site. The site is alongside public road, but considerably far from houses or other establishments. A risk assessment is conducted to identify the primary hazards and evaluate high risk area. The results of the risk assessment showed that the top hazards identified are landslide and miners falling from more than 2 m height. Ergonomic hazards were also observed as risky. According to interviews, miners lack knowledge in safety standards and lack motivation to implement safety measures due to attitude and financial constraints.