FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT ON ACCESS AND SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL SOCIAL SERVICES FOR ARTISANAL AND SMALL-SCALE MINERS
Access to and supply of social services, including social insurance, social welfare, health insurance, healthcare, and childcare services, is crucial for the overall welfare, quality of life, and resilience of the ASGM communities. Thus, planetGOLD Mongolia team contracted an external researcher who is conducting a qualitative assessment together with the project team to take a snapshot of the current situation of artisanal miners’ access to these services in the project target areas and provide policy recommendations to meet their differentiated needs.
For this purpose, the research team conducted data collection through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with artisanal miners and related government officials in Selenge province during mid-February, and in Khovd and Gobi-Altai provinces at the end of March. Consequently, the qualitative data will be analyzed along with further research and the final report will be completed.
Sparsely populated but rich in minerals, Mongolia is among the world’s most dependent countries on natural resource extraction. Over the last 30 years as Mongolians have transitioned away from a centrally planned economy to a market oriented economy, the mining sector has become a significant driver of the country’s economy and wealth—accounting for 80 percent of Mongolian exports and over 70 percent of foreign investment in the country.
planetGOLD project sites in Mongolia
In addition to herding and livestock production, mining is also a significant source of livelihoods in rural areas. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) takes place in most provinces in the country, employing 40,000-60,000 people. A third of these individuals are women, and it is estimated that ASGM indirectly supports another 120,000–180,000 people.
Despite legislative efforts to formalize and regulate the ASGM sector and banning the use of mercury, the sector is still largely informal and clandestine use of mercury continues to exist. In order to make the sector sustainable and mercury-free, however, more needs to be done to speed up and reinforce existing efforts to support formalization, financing options, technology enhancement, and information dissemination.
Key Figures from Mongolia
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12-20% of the rural labor force works in ASGM
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30% of the country's total revenue is generated by mining
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14 out of 21 provinces have ASGM operations
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16% of the ASGM sector has been formalized
Mongolia’s Approach
The planetGOLD Mongolia project is working toward eliminating mercury in the ASGM sector by using a bottom-up approach, involving members of the ASGM sector directly in the creation and implementation of policies and practices to sustainably improve mining operations and livelihoods. In partnership with the national government, the project team is working to create an enabling environment for a formalized ASGM sector that enhances community development, improves productivity, and eliminates the use of mercury.
Key Strategies
 Support formalization |
 Reduce mercury releases |
 Educate and |
 Help miners access financing |
Project News
Project Resources
Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Trade in Mongolia - A review of Current Policies and Practices
English
This report provides an overview of existing gold trading practices in the ASGM sector in Mongolia, the current legal environment regulating gold trade including the Mongolian state gold-buying program, and discusses challenges and opportunities to regulate and formalize gold trade in Mongolia.
Legal Framework Analysis of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector in Mongolia
English
This policy report provides an overview of the current laws and regulations governing the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector in Mongolia and provides recommendations to support the professionalization of the sector.
Knowledge Areas:
Countries:
Gender Mapping in the Artisanal Gold Mining Sector in Mongolia
English
The objective of this report is to summarize gender dynamics in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector and their social and economic implications on women miners in Mongolia. The report concludes that, while some barriers exist, the ASGM sector offers viable livelihoods options for women and identifies encouraging opportunities for women to serve as agents of change for formalization and better mining practices.
Knowledge Areas:
Countries:
planetGOLD Mongolia interviewed at MNB World
Mongolian
The planetGOLD Mongolia project was launched in 2019 and will continue until the end of 2023. The project contributes to the elimination of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) and enhancing formalization of the sector. The project is a part of the planetGOLD Programme and to learn more, watch the full interview with Mongolian National Project Manager, Altanbagana Bayarsaikhan.
Other planetGOLD countries
The Latest from planetGOLD Mongolia