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Senegal suspends mining to secure Faleme river

Senegal has actually suspended all mining activity for nearly 3 years on its side of the southeastern Faleme river in a decree aimed at safeguarding the environment and supporting local communities threatened by an artisanal gold mining boom.

Mining-related dredging and chemical discharges have actually helped pollute the Faleme, which streams from the uplands in Guinea, down a big area of Senegal's border with Mali, and into the Senegal river.

Mining will be suspended on all Senegalese territory as much as 500 metres (546.81 backyards) from the river's left bank and remain in place up until June 30, 2027, according to the decree published on Tuesday.

A survey found the number of prohibited mining websites along the Senegalese and Malian sides of the Faleme has increased to over 800 from 600 in 2021, the Senegalese Press Agency stated on Monday.

The Faleme, which was when home to a large range of fish and mammals consisting of hippos and served an essential role for local agriculture, remains in immediate requirement of remediation, according to a. 2024 paper published in the Journal of Water Resource and. Protection.

(source: Reuters)