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This report was developed in response to decision MC-4/4 by the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, at its fourth meeting, where it requested the Secretariat “to compile views on the needs and priorities of indigenous peoples and local communities with regard to the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining”.

The authors of this report looked at the politics of FPIC in Latin America, analyzing how the power and interests of the key players–across governments, companies and indigenous peoples–can determine the fate of FPIC and consultation processes in practice. This research focused on Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, and provides practical options to address key political challenges in hopes of improving outcomes for indigenous and tribal peoples. 

This document is also available in Spanish and Portuguese.

El estudio analiza la situación de los hombres y las mujeres que trabajan en la Minería Artesanal y de Pequeña Escala (MAPE) de oro en el Perú, bajo tres perfiles: hombres y mujeres en la MAPE -socios/as, cargos directivos, consultores/as, trabajadores/as dentro de la operación minera- y mujeres seleccionadoras de mineral -más conocidas como “pallaqueras”.

Highlighted in this case study are results of a pilot initiative by the Colombia Mining Dialogue Group (GDIAM) initiated in January 2022 to provide banking services to miners. The project aimed to improve interactions between the mining and financial sectors. This case study is part of a larger body of work documenting financial access interventions for the ASGM sector. 

While there is data around concentrations of metals in surface waters near ASGM activities,  little is known about concentrations of metals in the water-ore-mercury slurry with which workers have extensive dermal contact. The authors of this publication seek to characterize those concentrations.

Research covered multiple countries, providing insights into national and regional market dynamics and trade flows. The cross-border regional dynamics of illicit gold supply chains means examination of this issue requires applying a wide lens. South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe were selected for field research, with some limited research conducted in South Africa.

Highlighted in this case study are the results obtained by the NGO Solidaridad and the mining company Minera OREX in achieving a prefinancing model that allowed its artisanal and small-scale mining suppliers (ASM) in Peru to have liquidity for their activities. This case study is part of a larger body of work documenting financial access interventions for the ASGM sector. 

Communication is a cross-cutting theme across the planetGOLD programme. Strategic, inclusive communication and awareness raising practices play a critical role in educating miners and communities with artisanal and small-scale mining activities, while also helping build greater public support for transforming the ASGM sector with responsible, mercury-free mining practices. This report assesses the communication and awareness raising related interventions of the planetGOLD Peru project. 

Consistent with project objectives to promote the elimination of mercury use in the ASGM sector, the planetGOLD Guyana project’s technology transfer approach included both demonstration of prospecting and exploration technologies for ASGM and establishing mercury-free demonstration sites. This report summarizes the technology transfer activities undertaken by the planetGOLD Guyana project.

The report is also available in French and Spanish.