Peruvian gold traceability initiatives among 13 finalists in artisanal mining challenge

Two Peruvian initiatives seeking to improve the traceability of gold from artisanal and small-scale mining (ASGM) operations, including one supported by the GEF-funded planetGOLD Peru project, are among the 13 finalists of the Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon. This innovation competition organized by Conservation X Labs is a global call to find solutions to transform artisanal and small-scale gold mining with more environmentally responsible and socially equitable practices.

There were 121 applicants from 122 countries around the world, with more than 50% from nations of the Amazon region. Finalists will receive seed funding to field test and develop their innovations alongside local partners and organizations working in the Amazon region through the Amazon CoLab, a 6-month acceleration program.

One of the two solutions is RECPO online. This digital tool, developed in a first phase by the Ministry of Energy and Mines of Peru (MINEM) with the support of the planetGOLD Peru project, will provide information on commercial gold transactions in ASGM, solving the lack of control and traceability of gold in Peru. In addition, it will generate a due diligence system that makes the actors of the gold value chain transparent, allowing interoperability and joint actions between public institutions.

In this regard, Franco Arista, National Coordinator of the planetGOLD Peru project and leader of the RECPO online team, indicated that "the technological system will register, in real time, the purchase and sale of ASGM gold. In addition, it will improve the control and traceability by the Peruvian Government, identifying areas of trade and use of mercury and will optimize the formalization technical assistance provided to artisanal and small-scale miners and manual gold selectors.

The second initiative, SISSAI: traceability of ethical jewelry, is a solution postulated by a Peruvian jewelry company of the same name, in which the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will be a partner. The blockchain technology in this solution will allow the client to track the production chain in all its stages, providing the information through a code that will accompany the jewelry, contributing to responsible consumption by guaranteeing the formal origin and recognition, with a gender approach, of the artisanal and small-scale miners’ work.

These solutions were rated by panels of evaluators with backgrounds in mining, conservation science and entrepreneurship, and finalists were selected based on criteria including value proposition, sustainability, impact and feasibility. The 13 finalist solutions stood out for their innovations including tools for cleaner mining, restoration and remediation, monitoring and actionable data, and supply chain solutions.

“The goal was to find effective solutions for artisanal and small-scale mining in the Amazon – home to the largest tropical forest in the world, with some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet, and where many indigenous communities live,” noted Alex Dehgan, CEO and Co-Founder of Conservation X Labs, in a press release. “We are excited to support innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs in developing and implementing their innovations and technology for conservation.”

Open to a global community of innovators, “The Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon” launched in 2021 and solicited solutions to safeguard ecosystems, protect human health, optimize responsible supply chains, and promote the formalization of miners to achieve social and environmental safeguards. “The Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon” is implemented by Conservation X Labs in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Microsoft, and Esri.

The Spanish version of this article was originally published by UNDP Peru