Peninah Asiimwe

Sylvia is an artisanal gold miner in Central Uganda. She spends her days at Kayonza Mining Site—purchasing bags of ore, crushing, washing it—and searching for gold. The small droplet of mercury in her basin helps make sure she gets all the flecks of gold to sell at the end of the day.

The planetGOLD Uganda team meets with miners working at the Kayonza artisanal gold mine site to understand their needs and use of mercury across the country.

Last year, Uganda passed the new Mining and Minerals Law, which for the first time, integrated regulations governing artisanal and small-scale mining. The new law includes provisions to ensure responsible mining practices, including health and safety, gender equality, as well as environmental protection.