Costa Rica

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Costa Rica is present in certain rural communities in the country, where it is a source of income for workers and their families. However, the sector faces environmental, social, and public health challenges, mainly associated with the historical, and in some cases still current, use of mercury in mineral processing. These conditions are exacerbated by levels of informality, limited access to clean technologies, and difficulties in integrating into formal markets and accessing financing.  Since 2010, open-pit metal mining has been prohibited by law, with only underground mining and artisanal and small-scale mining permitted in specific areas under the current regulatory framework.  

In this context, planetGOLD Costa Rica seeks to contribute to the progressive reduction of mercury use in the ASGM sector by strengthening technical capacities, promoting environmentally responsible practices, and supporting formalization processes within the national legal framework. The initiative is implemented in strict compliance with national legislation, prioritizing work with formalized actors or those in the process of formalization. The planetGOLD Costa Rica project is implemented in coordination with the competent authorities and in line with the National Action Plan on ASGM, as well as with the commitments made by the country under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, contributing to national efforts to protect human health and ecosystems from a perspective of equality, inclusion, and sustainability.   

Key Figures from Costa Rica

Costa Rica's Approach

The planetGOLD Costa Rica project plans to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts caused by the intensive use of mercury in the ASGM sector. 

The project will support activities in three priority areas of the country. The first includes communities located in Abangares, Miramar, Tilarán, and Montes de Oro. The second area, located in the south of the country, comprises communities in Osa and Puerto Jiménez. The third area, in the north of the country, includes the district of Cutris. Intervention strategies will be tailored to the characteristics and needs of each area. In addition, institutional strengthening activities will be carried out at the national level, primarily in the capital, San José.

The project will focus on reducing mercury use, building capacity, and supporting formalization processes, in strict compliance with national regulations. Furthermore, in areas affected by illegal mining or located in sensitive or protected zones, the project will neither support nor promote mining activities and will direct its efforts toward information generation, environmental monitoring, institutional strengthening, awareness-raising, and the promotion of alternative livelihoods, thereby helping to discourage illegal practices, in coordination with the competent authorities.

By the end of its implementation period, the project aims to reduce mercury use by 8.6 metric tonnes while strengthening land management practices and improving livelihoods for 28,000 people.

Key Strategies

Optimize formalization of the ASGM sector	Promote financial inclusion and responsible supply chains
Enhance uptake of mercury-free technologies	Share knowledge and support local capacity building