Resources

Despite producing an estimated 20% of the world’s annual supply of newly mined gold, the ASGM sector has traditionally had challenges connecting with the formal world gold market. While numerous formal buyers - from refiners to jewelers to premium-offering gold buying schemes - are all eager for gold produced by artisanal and small-scale gold miners, meeting rigorous standards for due diligence standards and responsible sourcing poses a challenge. This study examines the role that can be played by supply chain technologies in facilitating conformity with the planetGOLD Criteria by looking at specific types of supply chain solutions, including due diligence, traceability and block-chain solutions, and analyzing their capacity for establishing and strengthening market links between planetGOLD producers and formal gold market buyers.

The gap in applicable guidance for cyanide management in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector requires urgent attention, especially considering cyanide’s accessibility and effectiveness at gold extraction, and in light of the trend in uptake of cyanidation in the small-scale gold mining sector worldwide. The purpose of this document is to address this gap by providing written guidance for ASGM stakeholders on managing the risks of cyanidation where national legal and regulatory frameworks permit its use, in the context of the ASGM sector’s transition from mercury use.

The planetGOLD programme sets out specific criteria to govern the operations of artisanal and small-scale gold mining entities engaged with the programme. The planetGOLD Criteria align with the CRAFT Code, and include three criteria that are specific to the planetGOLD programme: eliminating mercury in the mining process, respecting and protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and minimizing impact on biodiversity. Conformance with this criteria will ensure that artisanal and small-scale miners participating in the planetGOLD programme undertake sufficient efforts to avoid, minimize, mitigate, and where appropriate, offset adverse impacts to people and the environment.

This issue brief originally published in 2020 and updated in 2024 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.

Click here to access the issue brief in French or Spanish.