Resources

Case Study: Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in Madre de Dios, Peru

USAID English

While the ASGM sector is present across Peru, the department of Madre de Dios is the epicenter of illicit alluvial gold extraction and the accompanying deforestation. This case study examines the complex drivers behind ASGM sector expansion, the devastating impacts on biodiversity in the region, and the strategies implemented to address the impacts of ASGM in Madre de Dios by the Government of Peru.

OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement in the Extractive Sector

OECD English

The OECD prepared this guidance to provide practical guidance to mining, oil and gas enterprises in addressing the challenges related to stakeholder engagement. 

A Government-backed Credit Scheme for Miners in Rwanda

CIRDI 2020 English

In this series, CIRDI is working with our global partner mix to highlight models for tackling a critical problem – how to ensure artisanal miners seeking to make the move to cleaner and more efficient production methods can access the capital they need under fair and inclusive terms?

Understanding the use and trade of toxic chemicals in artisanal gold mining: The case of Burkina Faso

Poorva Karkare, ECPDM 2020 English

This note shines light on the use and trade of toxic chemicals in ASGM in Burkina Faso. It argues that interventions to reduce the use of mercury in ASGM operations need to be designed keeping in mind the complexity of the sector, including the actors involved and the fluid arrangements that they strike to win gold. In fact, mercury and gold trade are closely interlinked. Moreover, mercury has become an integral part in the pre-financing arrangements, a dominant form of funding operations in return for gold. These networks of pre-financiers are involved in the smuggling of gold to avoid paying taxes.

EPRM Due Diligence Check

EPRM English

The Due Diligence Check guides you through a simple questionnaire tailored to your company characteristics. This means that you only answer questions relevant to you. The advice is customized based on the answers given and divided in the five step framework of the OECD.

Phasing Out Mercury? Ecological Economics and Indonesia's Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector

Samuel J. Spiegel, Sumali Agrawal , Dino Mikha , Kartie Vitamerry , Philippe Le Billon , Marcello Veiga , Kulansi Konolius, Bardolf Paul 2017 English

This article discusses implications of domestic cinnabar mining for controlling mercury in Indonesia's ASGM sector, highlighting obstacles to implementing the Minamata Convention, a treaty that aims to restrict mercury use. We link discussion of mercury mining to other socioeconomic processes, labour relations and power dynamics shaping mercury use in gold mining and hindering collectivised mercury-free technology uptake. 

Mapping artisanal and small-scale mining to the Sustainable Development Goals

PACT & University of Delaware 2020 English

Pact and the University of Delaware’s Mapping Artisanal and Small-scale Mining to the Sustainable Development Goals (ASM-SDG Policy Assessment) is the first report assessing all positive and negative relationships between artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in Migori, Kenya

CIRDI English

The Migori County Artisanal Miners Cooperative Society (MICA), in collaboration with UNESCO and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and with support from CIRDI, created this documentary on ASGM in Migori to shed light on this sector and to give Kenyan gold miners a voice.

Critical solutions for ASGM: Facilitating the transition to the formal economy and better mining practices in Africa

PACT 2019 English

Illicit Mercury Flows and Governance Practices in Mindanao, Philippines

Jashaf Shamir A. Lorenzo, BAN Toxics IUCN - National Committee of the Netherlands English

This report documents the illicit mercury flows in Mindanao, Philippines as well as the various governance practices for mercury in the study areas. The study is conducted by BAN Toxics and focuses on Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) communities in the island, where the majority of illicit mercury enters the country.