無汞提鍊：改善坦桑尼亞土法開採金礦的工藝 Fund Raising for No-Mercury Programme in local artisanal mining in Tanzania

（English Descriptions Below)

眾籌目的

經濟發展程度較低國家（LEDCs）的土法開採和小規模採礦僱用大量當地工人；例如，在坦桑尼亞，就有超過一百萬名礦工以土法採礦為生。採礦者從原礦提鍊金時，大量運用汞（或水銀）。由於這類小型金礦工人缺乏處理汞的知識，提鍊過程極有可能引起嚴重的健康和環境問題。

汞是一種沸點低（357°C），有毒的金屬。汞在蒸氣形態時，具有致命危險：

• 吸入汞蒸氣會導致呼吸系統疾病；
• 汞能通過肺部進入血液，危害中樞神經系統，導致神經系統和行為異常；
• 過量接觸會導致死亡；
• 汞釋放到環境中時，會在土壤和水中積聚，從而通過生物作用進入食物鏈；
• 如此，人類的免疫，遺傳和神經系統將受到損害，並且還會對胚胎發育有損害；
• 隱藏的健康影響已導致社會脆弱性。

本機構日前與國際知名的實驗室聯系，得悉該實驗室開發了一種提取工藝，該工藝能替代汞（和氰化物），從精礦中提出金。此工藝所用的化學品較為便宜，且較易取得，有些甚至在家居使用；但是小規模的採礦者始終較難獲得，和沒有正確使用化學品的知識。

籌款目標及運用

我們需要能幫助我們達成在坦桑尼亞推行的無汞計劃的啟動資金。最初的籌款目標為港幣500,000元。我們希望成功地在位於東部的Negero建立第一個提鍊廠，採用新的無汞提取工藝試行。如成功，日後將把此技術蔓延至坦桑尼亞和剛果民主共和國（DRC）其他礦區。相較傳統利用汞或氰化物的工藝，此工藝對人類和環境的健康有正面且長遠的影響。如有剩餘捐款，將用於改善當地社區。

如欲了解更多本機構的資料，請瀏覽網頁 https://projecterrae.wordpress.com。

Projecterrae Limited 名列在香港稅務局網頁可獲豁免繳稅的機構名單上，捐款給Projecterrae Limited已屬「認可慈善捐款」，可作扣稅用途（只限香港）。如欲索取本機構正式收據（須捐款港幣$100元以上），請把成功捐款的證明（如列印螢幕畫面／paypal電郵／信用卡月結單節錄）電郵至[email protected]。本機構核實後會於8星期內經電郵發出正式捐款收據。

Fundraising Initiative

Local artisanal and small-scale mining in Less Economic Developed Countries employs a lot of local workers; for instance, more than a million workers serve the artisanal mining in Tanzania. The wide application of mercury in gold extraction by artisanal miners who lack knowledge of handling mercury, has great potential to cause serious health and environmental problems.

Mercury is a highly toxic metal with a low boiling point (357°C). Mercury vapour is deadly dangerous:

• Inhalation of the vapour causes respiratory diseases;
• When entering bloodstream through lungs, the central nervous system will be exposed to risk, causing neurological and behavioral disorders;
• High exposures lead to deaths;
• When released to the environment, mercury accumulates in soil and water and enters the food chain through various organisms, in other toxic chemical form;
• Consequently, immune, genetics and nervous systems will be damaged, and it also causes damages in developing embryos；
• The hidden health impact has caused social vulnerability.

Our charity has approached an internationally beknown laboratory, which has developed an extraction process that has potential for gold recovery from concentrates, as an alternative to both mercury (and cyanide). This process is based on cheaper and readily available chemicals, which some are even domestically used, however small scale miners would not have the access to and knowledge of using the chemicals.

Fund raising target and purpose

We are needing initial capital to kick off our No-Mercury programme in Tanzania. The initial fundraising target is HKD 500,000. We’d wish to implement a pilot testing plant in Negero in Eastern Tanzania. Should it be successful, we would then extend the use of this technique to other mining regions in Tanzania as well as in DR Congo. The proposed extraction process will be infinitely preferable to mercury or cyanide, ascribed to human health improvement and environmental acceptability. Any excess donation will be used in improving the local community.

Should you wish to understand more information about our charity, please refer to our webpage https://projecterrae.wordpress.com.

Projecterrae Limited is listed on the tax-exempt charities list on the website of the Inland Revenue Department of HKSAR. Donations to Projecterrae Limited are "Approved Charitable Donations", which can be claimed for tax deduction (only in Hong Kong). Should you need an official receipt from our charity (applicable to donations of HK$100 or above), please email the proof of successful donation (e.g. print screen of successful payment/ email by paypal/ credit card statement, etc) to [email protected]. After verification, our charity shall issue an official donation receipt via email within 8 weeks.