News & Voices

The planetGOLD Suriname project, in collaboration with the Medical Mission (MZ), has launched a new phase of community-based awareness activities in Nyun Jakobkondre, a Matawai Maroon village along the Kleine Saramacca river. Under the initiative titled “Promotion and Formalization of Mercury-Free Gold in Suriname,” this phase builds on the recently completed training of the GZA’s and now focuses on delivering that knowledge directly to the community through practical field engagement.

El Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MAE), junto al El Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) y el Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial (GEF, por sus siglas en inglés) a través de su proyecto planetGOLD Ecuador celebró la graduación y participación de 139 mineros y mineras del programa “mejORO: Escuela Integral para una Minería Artesanal y de Pequeña Escala Responsable y Libre de Mercurio”. La ceremonia marcó un hito para Zamora Chinchipe y Loja, territorios donde el sector minero artesanal avanza de manera decidida hacia prácticas más seguras y sostenibles.

Matipa Village in Chisamba District, Central Province, Zambia has been selected as one of the pilot sites for the installation of a Mercury-Free Processing System (MFPS), a significant step toward advancing safer and more responsible Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM).

Loja, Ecuador – 27 y 28 de noviembre de 2025. Con una participación que superó las 250 personas durante dos días de jornada, tuvo lugar en Loja el evento “Voces y Saberes: Encuentro regional para una producción responsable en la minería artesanal y de pequeña escala - MAPE”, organizado por el Proyecto planetgold Ecuador, una iniciativa del Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MAE), el Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo – PNUD Ecuador y financiada por el Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial (GEF).

From 10 to 14 November, Medische Zending conducted an intensive training training for its Community Health Assistants (GZA’s), with support from the planetGOLD Suriname programme. The initiative aimed to strengthen the capacity of front-line health workers to identify and address key health risks in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities.

The planetGOLD Ghana Health Education team conducted outreach programmes at Asankrangwa Senior High School and Prestea Senior High & Technical School in the Western region, educating over 3,500 students and staff on the risks of mercury exposure and the importance of adopting safer mining practices. Students actively participated, shared experiences, and expressed commitment to promoting environmental safety within their communities.

As part of ongoing efforts under the planetGOLD Ghana Project to mitigate the health and environmental impacts of mercury use in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM), a one-day Trainer of Trainers (TOT) workshop was organized for selected health professionals from Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Prestea-Huni Valley, and Wassa Amenfi West Municipalities. The workshop aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of mercury exposure pathways, strengthen their skills in clinical recognition of mercury-related illnesses, and build capacity for prevention, health promotion, and community education.

En el marco de las acciones de articulación institucional, técnicos del proyecto planetGOLD Paraguay realizaron una visita a LAMPA S.A. en Paso Yobái.

En el departamento de Guairá, el distrito de Paso Yobái se ha consolidado como uno de los principales referentes de la minería artesanal de oro, generando empleo y dinamizando la economía local desde finales de los años 90.

The planetGOLD Zimbabwe project held its first Annual Stakeholders Conference in Harare from 27–28 October 2025, bringing together government ministries, mining associations, the private sector, development partners, and civil society under one theme: Building Together for a Sustainable ASGM Sector.

𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒕𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑶 𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑵.𝑽., held a follow-up session with the key stakeholders.

As parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury and stakeholders convened in Geneva for the 6th meeting of the Conference of Parties, planetGOLD was featured in a Global Environment Facility sponsored special event sharing lessons learned from nine countries that were among the first to join the programme.