Latest Posts

The planetGOLD Mongolia project commenced its trainings program on better mining practices for artisanal miners, at the project’s targeted sites

By Odonchimeg Idersaikhan, Altanbagana Bayarsaikhan, Anupama Ariyaratne and Marieke Kroll of planetGOLD Mongolia and AGC - January 5, 2022

The extractive sector is an important driver of economic development in Mongolia, having contributed to almost 24% of the GDP in 2019. Artisanal and small-scale mining has formally been recognized by the Mongolian government in 2010. However, informal and illegal ASGM activities persist in the country. The planetGOLD Mongolia project […]

Visualizing a future with formalized artisanal and small scale mining; The Historic Gold Town of Paracale

By Lyka Cabatay, National Communications Assistant, planetGOLD Philippines - December 20, 2021

Paracale, a municipality in the province of Camarines Norte, Philippines, is a place where gold is in such abundance that the town’s name itself reflects its history in mining. Paracale was derived from para cale, meaning “canal digger”. Local art showing the importance of gold mining to the community in […]

Women as change agents: sustainable ASGM through Women’s Cooperatives in Indonesia

By Anupama Ariyaratne - November 15, 2021

Background In Indonesia, the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector serves as a direct income source for over 300,000 people and indirectly supports approximately 1 million people. ASGM is a significant contributor to the country’s economy, producing approximately 50-100 tonnes of gold per year valued at $3-5 billion. However, […]

The Journey from Artisanal Miner to Formalized Gold Trader: Meet Oumarou Diallo

By Eve Sanou and Tegan Holmes - August 30, 2021

Burkina Faso is known for its rich gold deposits, which has made it the fourth largest industrial gold producer in Africa. However, outside of large-scale mining operations, a thriving, mostly informal, artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector exists. The gold trade itself provides huge benefits to the rural poor but […]

Scaling Up Gold Trade in Burkina Faso with Eve Sanou

By Eve Sanou and Tegan Holmes - August 2, 2021

For most of the men and women engaged along the informal gold supply chain in Burkina Faso, there are only limited opportunities both to become formalized and to achieve more than a subsistence level of livelihood. The European Partnership for Responsible Minerals-funded, Artisanal Gold Council (AGC)-RESOLVE–Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) implemented […]

Is ASGM legal in Burkina Faso? Workshops on the legal framework supporting Burkina Faso’s ASGM sector

By Sadraki Yabre and Tegan Holmes - July 30, 2021

In order for artisanal and small-scale gold mining to play an active role within the formal economy in Burkina Faso, mining operations must operate within the legal framework of the state. As part of the execution of the Global Environment Facility-supported planetGOLD Burkina Faso project, the national policy and legal […]

Dano, Burkina Faso, workshop to equip artisanal gold miners with the skills needed to approach financial institutions

By Janvier Dabiré and Tegan Holmes - July 27, 2021

Now in its third year of implementation, the Global Environment Facility-funded planetGOLD Burkina Faso project has ramped up activities in the component related to access to finance. The planetGOLD Burkina Faso project is led by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and executed by the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) in partnership […]

The Artisanal Gold Council (AGC), RESOLVE, the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) and private sector partners are scaling-up legal trade in artisanal gold in Burkina Faso

By AGQ HQ - July 8, 2021

New project will help artisanal miners connect to international markets, support refiners and downstream companies in identifying and validating legitimate artisanal gold sources Canadian not-for-profit organization and artisanal gold mining specialist, the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC), non-governmental organization RESOLVE, and the Responsible Business Alliance’s (RBA) Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), which […]

The Changing Impacts of COVID-19 on Mongolia’s Artisanal Gold Mining Sector

By Namuun Tsegmid - May 19, 2021

Mongolia, a vast country characterized by rugged landscapes, a nomadic culture, and an active artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector has not been untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having the longest land border with China spanning 4,600 kilometres, as well as a very long border with Russia, the Government of […]

Protecting Artisanal Mining Communities from Mercury Exposure – Countries Need Support to Develop Adequate Public Health Strategies

By Mareike Kroll and Peter Rosenbluth - May 11, 2021

Background Mercury is a highly toxic metal that persists in the environment. While the general population can be exposed to elemental mercury, for example in old mercury-containing thermometers, or to methylmercury in some fish, occupational exposure to toxic elemental mercury vapors in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is a […]