Curated Collections

The  technical  document  provides  an  overview  of  the  available  knowledge  on  the  management  of mercury-containing  tailings  generated  from  the  ongoing  ASGM  practices.  Furthermore,  based  on experiences  and  specific  case  studies  gathered  from  mining  sites  worldwide,  each  section  outlines relevant  recommendations  for  the  sound  management  of  tailings  along  the  mining  life  cycle. The current version of the document has been submitted to the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the Minamata Convention as an information document. 

Review materials and watch video recording from the virtual event to learn more about the technical document on mercury-containing tailings management in ASGM and discover the experience of Zimbabwe and Colombia with ASGM tailings management. 

This is the second segment of the April 28 event, with a regional focus on the Americas and West Africa. The recording discusses: (1) Recovering mercury from tailings, (2) Gender impacts and assessments: Lessons from Africa, (3) ASGM impacts on forests, and (4) Applying principles of FPIC in the ASGM Context.

The report underscores the urgent need for governments to prioritize responsible ASGM tailings management, particularly the disposal of hazardous materials like mercury that pose significant risks to human health and the environment. Publication available in EN/ESP/FR.

Discover some techniques for cleaning and recovering tailings in Yalí, Antioquia, and learn how this strategy represents a great opportunity for the elimination of mercury in small-scale mining.

The document presents the available information on promising technologies that recover mercury from tailings generated by ASGM in Colombia.

This report presents information drawn from experiences during more than three years of work, in Colombia, dedicated to the adaptation and function of the copper plates, which were tested both under laboratory conditions and in the field.