Boksburg gas leak: Zama zama explains how illegally mined gold is refined

At least five illegal miners were among seventeen people who died in Boksburg on Wednesday following a toxic gas leak.

BOKSBURG - At least five illegal miners were among seventeen people who died in Boksburg on Wednesday following a toxic gas leak.

Eyewitness News revisited the Angelo informal settlement on Friday and met with a zama zama who explained the process of refining illegally mined gold.

On Wednesday, zama zamas attempted to release the gas, suspected to be nitrogen oxide, from a cylinder that they stole from a company in Boksburg.

ALSO READ:

Angelo informal settlement resident wants zamas zamas to be dealt with

Boksburg gas leak survivors left traumatised after witnessing families die

Lesufi says govt doesn’t have a plan to curb zama zama scourge plaguing Gauteng

WATCH: Ekurhuleni mayor gives update on gas leak at Boksburg informal settlement

Eyewitness on Boksburg gas leak: 'We tried to revive some people but we failed'

WATCH: Why Lesotho zama zamas risk lives to find gold in SA's abandoned mines

The zama zama, who chose to remain anonymous, said that the leaked gas cylinder was being emptied to be used as a phenduka at the time of the disaster.

The Zulu word "phenduka" means to rotate.

This led to the tragic death of 17 people and the hospitalisation of 10 others.

He described in detail the refining process to Eyewitness News.

"We collect stones from the dumping site and test them. We then scrape them with a machine turn the stones into powder. We use a 5-litre bottle to collect the powder. We put this powder inside a phenduka, along with chemicals such as tartaric, vinegar, salt, mercury, water and soil. We turn on the generator, which is used to spin the phenduka for an hour."

He said that once it was done spinning, they poured the mixture inside a bathtub filled with water and added more chemicals, thereafter they heat it up to extract the gold.

At least 12 innocent lives were lost.

Boksburg gas leak: Zama zamas died metres away from their illegal operation set up