Illegal small-scale gold and diamond miners, or "zama zamas", frequently occupy both closed and active mines in South Africa. According to the government, the practice has made a considerable dent ...

"While they are not profitable for large-scale industrial mining, they are profitable for small-scaling ... separate the gold using dangerous chemicals like mercury and sodium cyanide.

Rescuers are sending a cage-like structure into one of South Africa's ... employed in gold extraction. Substances like mercury and cyanide, commonly used in small-scale mining, pose severe risks ...

Interpol says a major operation targeting illegal gold mining in West Africa has resulted ... Substances like mercury and cyanide, commonly used in small-scale mining, pose severe risks, with ...

Rescuers recovered 34 more bodies of illegal miners on Tuesday from an abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein ... the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) said in a report ...