Artisanal Gold Mining in Mongolia: Silica Exposure and Silicosis Risk
Factors-Field Survey
Dublin Core
Title
Artisanal Gold Mining in Mongolia: Silica Exposure and Silicosis Risk
Factors-Field Survey
Factors-Field Survey
Subject
Artisanal mining
Crystalline silica
Mongolia
Occupational health
Silicosis
Crystalline silica
Mongolia
Occupational health
Silicosis
Description
Silicosis remains a critical occupational health challenge, particularly among artisanal and
small-scale gold miners (ASGM). This study investigates the prevalence of silicosis and its associated risk
factors, while assessing the levels of respirable dust and crystalline silica exposure in Mongolian artisanal
miners.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 124 employees of the Tsagaan Tsakhir artisanal
gold miners in Bayankhongor Province, Mongolia. Participants completed questionnaires and underwent
medical exams, including spirometry and X-rays. Dust samples (n ¼ 10) were collected during a working
day, and the workplace was divided into underground exploration and outdoor grinding areas. Multivariate analysis evaluated risk factors for silicosis.
Results: Underground quarrying (dry) showed the highest exposures (dust geometric mean (GM): 8.107
mg/m3
; silica GM: 2.156 mg/m3
), followed by grinding (dust GM: 1.374 mg/m3
; silica GM: 0.555 mg/m3
).
Wet quarrying and packaging tasks had significantly lower levels. A total of 124 male participants (mean
age 35.9, mean work years 5.7) were included. Twenty four participants (19.4%) had silicosis, with 58%
having profusion 2 or higher. Multivariate analysis showed increased odds of silicosis with longer work
years (OR ¼ 2.6) and specific work positions (e.g., underground drilling: OR ¼ 6.23).
Conclusion: Artisanal gold miners in Mongolia face significant health risks due to high silica exposure
and inadequate protective measures. Urgent interventions, including improved dust control and routine
medical surveillance, are needed to mitigate silicosis risks in this vulnerable population
small-scale gold miners (ASGM). This study investigates the prevalence of silicosis and its associated risk
factors, while assessing the levels of respirable dust and crystalline silica exposure in Mongolian artisanal
miners.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 124 employees of the Tsagaan Tsakhir artisanal
gold miners in Bayankhongor Province, Mongolia. Participants completed questionnaires and underwent
medical exams, including spirometry and X-rays. Dust samples (n ¼ 10) were collected during a working
day, and the workplace was divided into underground exploration and outdoor grinding areas. Multivariate analysis evaluated risk factors for silicosis.
Results: Underground quarrying (dry) showed the highest exposures (dust geometric mean (GM): 8.107
mg/m3
; silica GM: 2.156 mg/m3
), followed by grinding (dust GM: 1.374 mg/m3
; silica GM: 0.555 mg/m3
).
Wet quarrying and packaging tasks had significantly lower levels. A total of 124 male participants (mean
age 35.9, mean work years 5.7) were included. Twenty four participants (19.4%) had silicosis, with 58%
having profusion 2 or higher. Multivariate analysis showed increased odds of silicosis with longer work
years (OR ¼ 2.6) and specific work positions (e.g., underground drilling: OR ¼ 6.23).
Conclusion: Artisanal gold miners in Mongolia face significant health risks due to high silica exposure
and inadequate protective measures. Urgent interventions, including improved dust control and routine
medical surveillance, are needed to mitigate silicosis risks in this vulnerable population
Creator
Densenbal Dansran 1
, Ichinnorov Dashtseren 1,**, Garamjav Khishigdavaa 2
,
Solongo Bandi 1
, Byambadolgor Dagviikhorol 1
, Naransukh Damiran 3
,
Bayanmunkh Tseden 4
, Bat-Erdene Moyor 4
, Jun-Pyo Myong 5,
, Ichinnorov Dashtseren 1,**, Garamjav Khishigdavaa 2
,
Solongo Bandi 1
, Byambadolgor Dagviikhorol 1
, Naransukh Damiran 3
,
Bayanmunkh Tseden 4
, Bat-Erdene Moyor 4
, Jun-Pyo Myong 5,
Source
https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com/287282/1-s2.0-S2093791125X00032/1-s2.0-S2093791125000290/main.pdf?X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEGsaCXVzLWVhc3QtMSJHMEUCIQDaS679GTrPCrcZbUBVZ1aV9Pvkp%2Bie2zq9YHgYeU%2BFjwIgGFelsyYtiixPzLP0OZdCeTN7FKHo8udkvc3ck5%2BEbNwqsgUIMxAFGgwwNTkwMDM1NDY4NjUiDMRTYI92RMlIQQ2AuSqPBTfk9xkM1uVaX0VkTineJUY0dy%2FDY1vMWxITFS8m964Nsg8iy0Jx98LEC6c%2FuTSiMGsrrGk7Yuy%2FhMDN8Z4pPaDL4AWzAu08Gjq9eB6TgjHS18yRjVnA7YNd5071o5xhNUMEkEPx%2BVXF5UJPr333PSBrrzeY3M3AbnmA%2FAlKjck3X02HR3SecNNXbe%2BXOqATNPfHFu4wrkuv%2FZsHx1gDE2RCactis81%2BrJkBZholucIEI1TkAcqAx2PptI0SKd8N3Kc8CG2nMKZLPgjmx2kk4QKmkjnM%2BloJOv5m%2BiizTio8HsMvHdBkGXMtg9zao6k9CEw%2FeAOfqPRfa6kKBwj985sT64nGRCn9MdAj5Eh%2F9KNa8XQCDV2kUvsJieMB2PYcXs%2BhFPohFiXRQzeYZMdMS9cJ21gvTLitgL0KZMWQ7cMg%2B2kZLI42vrhqyHRmf%2FCkonZy5%2F7XMeRpEc1PhLBA%2BQq1IE0RWGUKOVvD8wKe9Nh%2FzKFg8RlPUzM7EyGFufZHVUAIeVfmQVp1vVym1jqWx%2FAxQlkId30ejd2SHEQ8nYYPlm3%2FdpY7sZDpZZSDiojAVFErX97jyZRIUT4NAd9rUsffK994EO1T2Yu2gc4UTRkNOmERcxXMwktHSqefJrr4geCNGUwQ12NJJvUd1uuv%2BOoK5XO6CIxEHKLk74WGP71zHCBELoQbz8xwwe5vso7TpA8%2B3q8pPCus%2F7S0k%2F2cX%2FoA8usaLl00kRFYFNjaer674msUmU2%2FU1FwFA1FjzOjfvWlTeMhvtZCdoBCi5eNT2aF21ILz2x3gYkYMUupbOz%2BbFSnAaSvMD6xZuhy%2BSFUF%2BwhoDJiabdudCyX2AnjUyJhnW3FijccTsNa75g2fc4w9%2FuDzQY6sQGjSZdbr5evtQ%2BgJkn5bzbSuX8IbScSeswvzg0WDykT9MZr3ZZ0zixWjGn5fpuxF%2BdIqcSySc6LPe1YFXrK%2FD%2FqDqedjCpUP4exhrb4WIdFoqQYbWWfZoSFVZGW2XYilBeVu6FZzSNbHj1kMdLKCyt84HyABsXoq8tCvqXBLSyZBB7WcctqHRxp1sj33gSeYHuPaEryeqhuxjju2%2FGU%2Bu%2BuBBfxdd4UdcOJQdexAdxZ3m4%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20260227T031415Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAQ3PHCVTY5MGIAXUW%2F20260227%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=ce2219a2fe11d50fd268ce607869bc2e395f6938f54fabd66cccdcdcdcd722b5&hash=da4499835cb6903cf5358de4b48147f6e13122229ad047b6f802ae2bf5b519f2&host=68042c943591013ac2b2430a89b270f6af2c76d8dfd086a07176afe7c76c2c61&pii=S2093791125000290&tid=spdf-defc32ee-208d-405e-892b-ebb6febc3b9e&sid=a74f698f1272c64207292458fba4f3c693a7gxrqb&type=client&tsoh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&rh=d3d3LnNjaWVuY2VkaXJlY3QuY29t&ua=0b015e065356595503&rr=9d4482ccfee014a6&cc=id
Publisher
1Department of Pulmonology and Allergology, School of Medicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Science, Mongolia
2Digital Center of the Diagnostic Radiology, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
3Occupational Safety and Health Center, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
4Department of Infectious Disease, Bayankhongor General hospital, Mongolia
5Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea
2Digital Center of the Diagnostic Radiology, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
3Occupational Safety and Health Center, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
4Department of Infectious Disease, Bayankhongor General hospital, Mongolia
5Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Republic of Korea
Date
19 April 2025
Contributor
Fajar Bagus Wijanarko
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Citation
Densenbal Dansran 1
, Ichinnorov Dashtseren 1,**, Garamjav Khishigdavaa 2
,
Solongo Bandi 1
, Byambadolgor Dagviikhorol 1
, Naransukh Damiran 3
,
Bayanmunkh Tseden 4
, Bat-Erdene Moyor 4
, Jun-Pyo Myong 5,, “Artisanal Gold Mining in Mongolia: Silica Exposure and Silicosis Risk
Factors-Field Survey,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 25, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/11903.
Factors-Field Survey,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 25, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/11903.