Resources

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.

Improving Access to Formal Finance in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining

planetGOLD 2020 English

This issue brief reviews past experiences with delivering financial and allied services to the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector and examines existing barriers to attracting formal finance and investment in the sector. It concludes with recommended interventions for governments, donors and other allies to help improve ASGM’s access to formal finance in the future.

Mercury Nah Easy / Careful with Quicksilver - Awareness Raising Posters

planetGOLD Guyana 2020 English

This set of posters created by the planetGOLD Guyana project provides information about the dangers of mercury exposure, health problems it can cause, and practical tips miners can take to reduce the risk of exposure for themselves and their families.

Artisanal Gold Communities as Prime COVID-19 Intervention Targets: Supply Chain Reform, Health In Gold Out

Shawn Blore, Marieke Kroll, Kevin Telmer 2020 English

In this paper, the AGC announces its three signal interventions for dealing with the crisis in ASGM communities brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic: (i) Supply Chain Reform Project – a project to restart and reform artisanal gold supply chains; (ii) Health In Gold Out – a project to deliver health assistance via this gold stakeholder network; and (iii) Artisanal Gold Prices Database – a project to monitor these interventions via a worldwide database of artisanal gold prices.

Fair Trade Seeks a Foothold in Artisanal Gold Mining

Kristin Sippl 2020 English

Changing the status quo in Ghana’s mining sector

Commodity Monitor 2020 English

Diapositivas sobre Comercio Justo del Oro

Franco Arista - planetGOLD Perú 2020 Spanish

Esta presentación fue elaborada como parte de una serie de webinars sobre Comercio Justo del Oro en Perú y Ecuador. En el documento se presenta los diferentes tipos de certificación de oro limpio dirigidos a la minería artesanal y de pequeña escala (MAPE).

New Study: Amazon Authorities Can’t Get a Grip on Mercury Trade

Bram Ebus 2020 English

Report from the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL) looking into the world of the informal and formal mercury trade. The study was undertaken in three different continents. In the Amazon region, Bolivia, Guyana and Suriname were examined.

Vilma Morales: "Bolivia would be the country of origin of the mercury that reaches Peru" | INTERVIEW

Yvette Sierra Praeli 2020 English

Vilma Morales is a chemical engineer and one of the main mercury experts in Peru. Her work in hazardous waste management has led her to investigate and learn how this heavy metal behaves, causing so much damage to the environment and people's health, especially due to its use in legal and illegal mining.

Bolivia: estudio analiza mecanismos del comercio ilegal de mercurio

Yvette Sierra Praeli 2020 Spanish

En el 2015, Bolivia importó 152 toneladas de mercurio, 12 veces más de lo adquirido el año anterior, un incremento que se dio cuando el Perú impuso restricciones al comercio y uso de este metal pesado directamente ligado a la extracción de oro.