By Adama Ouedraogo - April 29, 2020
The following information comes from site managers, artisanal miners, local buyers, ANEEMAS agents (government agents), and approved outlets in Ouagadougou. ASM Mines Sites return to operation in Burkina Faso Most ASM sites are once again operational in Burkina Faso. Even those which had closed for COVID-19 are gradually resuming their […]
By A. Kader - April 29, 2020
These new gold prices come to us courtesy of A. Kadar in Niger. (Thanks Kadar). They are also available in our Gold Prices Database The prices we obtained at the site level concern the purities normally found at the Tabelot and Komabangou sites. One has to take into account […]
By Mareike Kroll, Kevin Telmer - April 28, 2020
Summary The looming third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely going to have devastating impacts in many countries in the Global South, with far worse health outcomes and economic implications. While formal and informal income sources in LMICs are collapsing, the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector offers […]
By Daniel Hill, Dr Abdoulkader Afane - April 28, 2020
Gold Prices Falling, Supply Costs Rising. Limited Response so far Gold Prices Falling: As a result of COVID-19 containment measures and the resulting liquidity crunch affecting the ASM sector, gold prices in the region of Tillaberi to the south along the border with Burkina Faso have dropped by up to […]
By Shawn Blore - April 27, 2020
POLICY RESPONSES The COVID-19 pandemic has frozen ASM supply chains worldwide, drastically reducing ASM producers’ incomes and leaving already fragile ASM communities even more vulnerable. Below is an annotated list of the policy responses that have so far been developed to address this challenge. Papers are listed in alphabetical order […]
By Shawn Blore - April 25, 2020
The United Arab Emirates has relaxed the lockdown measures introduced April 6. As announced on the website of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, “On 24 April, daytime movement restrictions in Dubai emirate were relaxed to remove the requirement for a permit between 0600 – 2200. Limited exercise outside of […]
By Shawn Blore - April 25, 2020
India has extended its nationwide lockdown until May 3[1], at the same time relaxing some restrictions on neighbourhood shops and in markets in rural areas less affected by COVID-19[2]. The lockdown continues in full force in hotspots and containment zones across the country[3]. The government of Maharashtra state meanwhile announced […]
By Richard Gutierrez - April 25, 2020
National Travel Restriction. A day after the start of Ramadan, the Indonesian government announced the restriction on all passenger travel starting April 24 and extending to June 1. Both international and domestic flights are grounded. Rail travel is suspended on the island of Java. The measure was taken in anticipation […]
By AGC Staff - April 23, 2020
Summary Papua New Guinea (PNG) is an isolated island nation in the South Pacific, home to some 60,000 artisanal miners who produce nearly 4 tonnes of gold per year. COVID-19 arrived in PNG only in late March with currently 8 reported cases. PNG’s health care system is fragile, underfunded and […]
By Richard Gutierrez - April 23, 2020
The COVID-19 virus has spread to all of Indonesia’s 34 provinces, including North Sulawesi where the Artisanal Gold Council has two project areas working with artisanal miners. The photos below – some taken by AGC staff and some by miners themselves – show the changes that have overtaken their lives […]
