Peru acquires equipment for monitoring mercury emissions in artisanal and small-scale gold mining

As part of the international commitment under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Peruvian government, through a Multisectoral Action Plan, is implementing various actions for the progressive reduction of mercury use in different productive activities in the country to protect public health and the environment.

Through the planetGOLD Peru initiative, work has been underway since 2020 with artisanal and small-scale miners in Arequipa, Piura, and Puno to transition towards mercury-free gold production.

As part of this project, 2 mercury analyzers have been acquired for detecting mercury emissions in the air. The equipments will strengthen the interventions of government institutions such as the Ministry of the Environment and the General Directorate of Environmental Health (DIGESA) for preventive and remedial purposes, especially in areas where artisanal and small-scale gold mining is present.

The official delivery of Lumex brand equipment took place during the events held at MINAM on May 25 and at DIGESA on June 20. The activities were attended by Luis Alberto Guillén, Director General of Environmental Quality; Marlene Flores Ching, Executive Director of the Directorate of Control and Surveillance; Rubén Valencia, Director of Pollution Control and Chemical Substances; and Franco Arista, National Coordinator of the planetGOLD Peru project.

To ensure the proper use of the equipment, specialists from both MINAM and DIGESA received training in the use and handling of the mercury emission analyzer in 2022. The one-day training session, consisting of theoretical and practical components, was attended by 38 specialists from MINAM, DIGESA, INS, OEFA, and MINEM.

Delivery of mercury analyzer to the Ministry of the Environment 

Delivery of a mercury analyzer to the General Directorate of Environmental Health (DIGESA) 

• The planetGOLD initiative is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In Peru it is executed by the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM), with technical assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).