2019 Events
Geneva, Switzerland (November 25-29, 2019)
The Third Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP3) will be held in Geneva in November and the AGC participated as an observer organization. Cathy Sturgeon, Rebar Jaff, Richard Gutierrez, Milene Pacheco, and Patricia Sims will be in attendance to represent AGC. The meetings with AGC’s partners and representatives from the mercury world will be very productive and enriching, as well as the events conducted during the week. AGC will participate in the exhibition to actively share information with participants, delegates, and organizations.
San Francisco, USA (October 22-25, 2019)
The session proposed by AGC ‘Investing in Socially Responsible Artisanal & Small Scale Gold Mining (ASGM)’ was selected for presentation at SOCAP19, a conference of global changemakers addressing the world’s toughest challenges through market-based solutions. AGC invited participants from Rosbel Gold Mines (RGM) in Suriname, Mwamba Mining in Tanzania, NRDC, and RESOLVE to share a panel discussion and promote out of the box thinking about investment in ASGM.
Krakow, Poland (September 8-13, 2019)
the 14th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP 2019) had the theme of ‘Bridging knowledge on global mercury with environmental responsibility, human welfare and policy response’. AGC’s Mareike Kroll travelled conducted a poster session at this event providing information on the health research and programming related to ASGM and mercury being carried out by the Artisanal Gold Council. Overall the conference focused on the needs for improvement of our knowledge on mercury in the environment, as well as measures of improvement of the Minamata Convention implementation efficiency. This event is invaluable for continuing to entrench AGC’s position as a leader in mercury science related to ASGM.
Copiapo, Chile (August 5-8, 2019)
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) hosted their annual Mining Week event in the Atacama region of Chile. Peter Rosenbluth and Rachel Deloughery were invited to share results and provide educational context around ASGM and AGC’s recently completed project carried out in partnership with APEC: Developing Training Materials to Promote the Reduction of Mercury in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining.
London, UK (February 18-19, 2019)
The Implementation Launch event for the Global Opportunities for Long-term Development in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector Programme (now referred to as planetGOLD) was held at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. Dr. Kevin Telmer, Rebar Jaff and Brad Van Den Bussche represented the AGC, an executing agency for several planetGOLD projects, and contributed valuable insight and knowledge on the investment strategies integrated into the fabric of this programme.
2018 Events
Geneva, Switzerland (November 19-23, 2018)
The Second Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP2) was held in Geneva in November and the AGC participated as an observer organization. Kevin Telmer, Richard Gutierrez, Milene Pacheco, and three representatives from AGC’s Indonesia project were in attendance to represent AGC. The meetings with AGC’s partners and representatives from the mercury world were very productive and enriching, as well as the events conducted during the week. Kevin Telmer was also on a panel presenting the Global Mercury Assessment 2018 summary report as part of a COP2 side event.
Vancouver, Canada (September 26-27, 2018)
The AGC’s Bryan Koehler participated in the 8th Annual Science Advisory Board for Contaminated Sites in British Columbia (SABCS) Conference and Workshop on Contaminated Sites in September. The full-day technical workshop was on the topic of Innovation in Data Acquisition, Analytics and Automation for Contaminated Sites and Mining Environmental Applications.
Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (September 15-21, 2018)
A National Action Plan (NAP) Formulation Workshop on Mercury in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining was facilitated by AGC’s Milene Pacheco and Peter Rosenbluth in Vientiane with various stakeholders to start developing strategies that will be part of the NAP document. The event was attended by miners, NGOs, private sector, representatives of the government, academia, civil society, and others.
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (August 20-22, 2018)
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) hosted their annual Mining Week & Ministers Responsible for Mining Meeting (MRMM). Peter Rosenbluth was invited to share results from AGC’s project currently being carried out in partnership with APEC: Developing Training Materials to Promote the Reduction of Mercury in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining.
Quito, Ecuador (July 17-18, 2018)
AGC’s Milene Pacheco and Jennifer O’Neill travelled to Quito to co-host the Ecuador National Action Plan Inception Workshop with the Ministerio del Ambiente and UNIDO. This introduction and training event was to launch the National Action Plan project aiming to reduce and when feasible eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Minamata, Japan (May 30-31, 2018)
At the Lessons Learned Workshop of the Minamata Initial Assessment Project in Asia Dr. Kevin Telmer was invited to share a presentation on ASGM and mercury for the Expert Session. The workshop focused on sharing project information and results among the participating countries: Cambodia, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and discussing how to effectively implement and fully comply with all the provisions of the convention. On Day 2 the workshop participants visited JNC Corporation, the Minamata High School, Minamata Disease Museum, Eco Park Minamata and National Institute for Minamata Disease.
Paris, France (April 17-20, 2018)
Milene Pacheco and Mike Williamson attended the 12th OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains where more than 700 stakeholders came together to review and discuss implementation of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Minerals and other initiatives to enable responsible mineral production and sourcing. On April 20th they also participated in the OECD-World Bank event on artisanal and small-scale mining. Topics included drivers for responsible sourcing across various minerals, alignment of industry programmes, the OECD portal for supply chain risk information, government monitoring of Guidance uptake and promotion, company risk mitigation and reporting, the role of commodity traders and country-level implementation progress in India, Europe and West Africa. Click here for more info.
Manado, Indonesia (March 21-23, 2018)
In partnership with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Government of Indonesia, Jennifer O’Neill (AGC) provided training on developing baseline inventory estimates of mercury use in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining for a team of Indonesian delegates and academic experts, under the Indonesia National Action Plan (NAP) development project. The training session focused on ASGM inventory estimates, and consisted of both classroom and field components.
Lima, Peru (March 14-15, 2018)
A National Action Plan (NAP) Formulation Workshop on Mercury in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining was facilitated by AGC’s Milene Pacheco and Peter Rosenbluth in Lima, Peru with various stakeholders to start developing strategies that will be part of the NAP document. The event was attended by miners, NGOs, private sector, representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Mines and Health, academia, civil society, and others.
Toronto, Canada (March 4-7, 2018)
Dr. Kevin Telmer, Mike Williamson, and Rachel Deloughery (AGC) and Susan Keane of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) attended the PDAC 2018 Convention, considered the premier international event for the mineral industry. With attendance of more than 25,000 people from 125 countries, it was the ideal event to promote the GEF GOLD Program by gathering initial information, networking, and reaching out to the investment community. Feedback from the event will help to define the outreach activities of GEF GOLD and will build awareness in the investment community in preparation for the implementation of the program this year.
Various Communities, Indonesia (January 22-February 21, 2018)
AGC staff from Canada and Jakarta, along with local Indonesian partners, recently traveled to several artisanal and small-scale gold mining communities to hold small business training on topics including profit, revenue, and supply, health, safety and environment, funding, financing, and investors, budgeting and business management, and financial accounting. Locations included the communities of Tobongon, Tatelu, Puruk Cahu (villages of Dato Koto and Konut), and Parenggean.
2017 Events
Tokyo, Japan (December 11-13, 2017)
Dr. Kevin Telmer recently travelled to Tokyo, Japan to present and participate as a panel member at the United Nations Environment Financial Instruments regional roundtable on December 12, 2017. More than 250 people attended the event. The first session looked at how banks and investors can address and manage risks and opportunities linked to environmental impacts. The second session looked at advanced techniques to quantify the dependence of production on natural assets, and the implication of degrading or depleting these assets for lending and investment portfolios.
Jakarta, Indonesia (November 27-30, 2017)
In collaboration with the UN Environment Global Mercury Partnership, the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) organized and participated in the regional workshop event “Developing a national overview of the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector for NAP projects in the Asian region” in Jakarta, Indonesia, for delegates from five countries. Dr. Kevin Telmer conducted a training on baseline estimates of mercury use in ASGM in the classroom and field. Milene Pacheco also participated in the workshop, by presenting and sharing AGC’s experiences with the execution of National Action Plan (NAP) projects, including its health component. AGC’s team in Indonesia organized the workshop and all the logistics related to the field training under the leadership of Richard Gutierrez who also participated in the workshop.
Lao PDR (November 13-14 and 19-21, 2017)
Dr. Kevin Telmer provided training on developing baseline inventory estimates of mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining for representatives of various ministries and institutions in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The event is part of the Minamata Convention Initial Assessment (MIA) and National Action Plan (NAP) project that AGC is executing in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) of Lao PDR the UN Environment. The four-day training consisted of both classroom and field components.
Milene Pacheco provided a two-day training on the “UN Environment Toolkit for identification and quantification of mercury releases” for representatives of various ministries and institutions in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The event is part of the Minamata Convention Initial Assessment (MIA) and National Action Plan (NAP) project developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) of Lao PDR and the UN Environment.
Chimoio, Mozambique (October 26-28 and 30-31, 2017)
In partnership with United Nations Development Organization (UNIDO) and National Mining Institute (INAMI), Jennifer O’Neill and Ricardo Rossin of the Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) provided training on developing baseline inventory estimates of mercury use in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining for a team of Mozambican delegates, under the Mozambique National Action Plan (NAP) development project. The training session focused on ASGM inventory estimates. The four-day training event consisted of both classroom and field components.
Conakry, Guinea (November 11-18, 2017)
Geneva, Switzerland (October 16-20, 2017)
The Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) convened its 13th Annual General Meeting at the Palais des Nations on the theme Managing Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining. AGC’s Milene Pacheco was in attendance at this event, along with more than 400 participants, including delegates from 65 countries, as well as representatives from international organizations, industry associations and civil society. The event included regional workshops, consultations on policy guidelines, panel discussions and other sessions. In January 2017 The IGF Secretariat published the document “IGF Guidance for Governments: Managing Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining”. Read more…
Geneva, Switzerland (September 24-29, 2017)
The AGC acted as an observer organization at the recent First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP1). Our representatives worked alongside the delegates from Indonesia and Guinea, as well as other colleagues and delegates from the international community. Dr. Kevin Telmer gave a presentation on the ASGM sector at the MIA Clinic, and Milene Pacheco shared the Mercury Inventory Methods & Tools under development by AGC, with support from United Nations Environment. COP1 considered a number of issues including matters related to reporting, effectiveness evaluation, the financial mechanism, arrangements for a permanent secretariat, compliance and guidance, and guidelines related to technical aspects of the Convention. Great strides were taken in establishing reporting cycles, and agreeing on guidance on waste thresholds and contaminated sites. Learn more here.
Bataan, Philippines (September 18, 2017)
Dr. Kevin Telmer and Mr. Richard Gutierrez recently travelled to Bataan for the GEF GOLD Child Project Mongolia and the Philippines Validation Workshop. The project stakeholders gathered to continue collaboration on the proposed five-year project that aims to reduce mercury-pollution in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, to formalize this sector, and enhance knowledge management. This project will be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and to be implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and United Nations Environment (UN Environment), with Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) as its executing partner, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the local partner through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (September 14, 2017)
The Validation Workshop for the GEF GOLD Burkina Faso project preparation phase was recently held by the AGC (Cathy Sturgeon, Mike Williamson, Gideon Lambiz), and brought together country stakeholders to review and contribute to project planning and development. GEF GOLD Burkina Faso Project is a proposed five-year project that aims to reduce mercury-pollution in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, to formalize this sector, and knowledge management. This project will be funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and to be implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) as its executing partner.
North Sulawesi, Indonesia (July 2017)
In partnership with Global Affairs Canada and Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta, Artisanal Gold Council’s Richard Gutierrez was in Indonesia to host the North Sulawesi Provincial Socialization Workshop. Local government officials from the province and district, including miner cooperative representatives, were in attendance at this event along with our strategic partners from the Government of Indonesia (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources). This workshop was part of our five-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada aiming to enhance artisanal gold mining in Indonesia.
Providence, U.S.A. (July 16-21, 2017)
Susan Egan Keane (AGC’s Board Director and Natural Resources Defense Council Deputy Director, Health Program) is presenting “Developing mercury use baselines and mercury reduction targets in national action plans for artisanal and small-scale gold mining” authored by Dr. Kevin Telmer, Eric Negulic, Jennifer O’Neill, and Susan Keane, at the 13th edition of the International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP) in Rhode Island. More info
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (June 21-22, 2017)
In partnership with the Artisanal Gold Council, United Nations Environment, and United Nationals Industrial Development Organization, the Government of Mongolia hosted representatives from Mongolia, the Philippines, and other key partners, to launch preparations for the Mongolia-Philippines GEF GOLD project to eliminate mercury in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector, from miners to refiners, to consumers. This project is part of the Global Environment Facility’s five year and eight country programme for Global Opportunities for Long-Term Development (GOLD).
Vientiane, Lao PDR (June 13, 2017)
AGC’s Dr. Kevin Telmer and Milene Pacheco participated in the Lao National Action Plan Inception Workshop to reduce and when feasible eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Nairobi, Kenya (May 22, 2017)
Jennifer O’Neill and Eric Negulic of AGC were plenary speakers at the UN Environment Global Mercury Partnership workshop in Nairobi, Kenya. They were presenting the session: “Developing Baseline Estimates for the Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining sector: Introduction to the UN Environment toolkit.” The AGC is developing the ASGM Baseline Toolkit and Guidebook, a toolkit and instructional guide for producing a national overview of a country’s ASGM sector and baseline estimates of the mercury used, gold produced, and workforce involved. The toolkit will be instrumental in carrying out ASGM National Action Plans under the Minamata Convention. The workshop was part of a week-long conference of mercury events, put together by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG), and UN Environment. The event brought together federal government officials, UN Agencies, NGOs, and international experts involved with the Minamata obligations of all African Countries. Read more…
Oslo, Norway (May 15, 2017)
AGC’s Jennifer O’Neill was in Oslo for the second meeting on emissions and release inventory of the 2018 Global Mercury Assessment (GMA). The focus of the workshop was to compare preliminary GMA global inventory estimates with national inventory estimates of various countries, including those that are becoming available through the development Minamata Initial Assessments (MIAs) to ensure the most robust estimates possible. The role of the AGC in this event is to field comparisons between AGC’s Mercury Watch estimates and preliminary MIA estimates of ASGM mercury use.
New York City, U.S.A. (May 17, 2017)
Dr. Kevin Telmer and Mike Williamson attended an Investors Workshop hosted by the Natural Resources Defence Council as part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Global Opportunities for Long-Term Development (GOLD) programme.
Paris, France (May 2-4, 2017)
Mike Williamson attended the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains click here for more info
Geneva, Switzerland (April 2, 2017)
AGC’s Jennifer O’Neill was in Geneva for a drafting meeting of the Technical Background Document of the 2018 Global Mercury Assessment (GMA), headed by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) and UN Environment. Every five years, the GMA brings together the findings of the world’s leading research programs on mercury to provide the most recent information available on worldwide atmospheric mercury emissions, releases to the aquatic environment, and the transport and fate of mercury in the global environment. Read more here. The role of AGC in the GMA is to provide the most up-to-date global inventory of mercury use, emissions, and releases caused by ASGM practices. This data is available on our Mercury Watch online database. According to GMA-2013, ASGM is the world’s largest source of mercury emissions.
London, U.K. (March 23-24, 2017)
Dr. Kevin Telmer attended the Impact Investing Forum which brings together world leading banks, hedge funds, charitable foundations and trusts. The event aimed to foster debate on social impact of all types of investments including social impact bonds, stocks, private equity, investment banking, venture capital, wealth management.
Libreville, Gabon (March 8-9, 2017)
AGC’s Milene Pacheco and Shawn Blore participated in the Gabon National Action Plan Inception workshop to reduce and when feasible eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Bamako, Mali (March 7, 2017)
AGC’s Milene Pacheco and Peter Rosenbluth participated in the Mali National Action Plan Inception workshop to reduce and when feasible eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada (March 4-7, 2017)
Dr. Kevin Telmer attended the Prospectors and Developers Association International Convention, one of the world’s most well-attended annual events for people, companies, and organizations in, or connected with, mineral exploration and finance.
Dakar, Senegal (March 1, 2017)
AGC’s Dr. Kevin Telmer, Milene Pacheco, and Peter Rosenbluth attended the Senegal National Action Plan Inception Workshop to reduce and when feasible eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (February 24, 2017)
In partnership with the Artisanal Gold Council, United Nations Environment, and United Nationals Industrial Development Organization, representatives from Burkina Faso, and other key partners met to launch preparations for the Burkina Faso GEF GOLD project to eliminate mercury in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector, from miners to refiners, to consumers. This project is part of the Global Environment Facility’s five year and eight country programme for Global Opportunities for Long-Term Development (GOLD).
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (February 21-23, 2017)
As part of the ongoing United States Department of State funded project “Reducing Mercury Use and Release from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Sub-Saharan Africa”, AGC worked with the government of Burkina Faso to coordinate a regional workshop focused on reducing mercury use in ASGM in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Guinea.
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada (February 11-12, 2017)
AGC’s Peter Rosenbluth took part in a panel at the International Development Conference discussing the challenges and opportunities of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining sector and the growing importance of the sector in the international development body of knowledge and practice.
Lima, Peru (February 2, 2017)
AGC’s Dr. Kevin Telmer, Milene Pacheco, and Dr. Arnaldo Sanchez participated in the Peruvian National Action Plan Inception Workshop and the official launch of the development of a national action plan to reduce and when feasible eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (January 22-23, 2017)
AGC’s Mike Williamson attended the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference 2017 which is the world’s largest resource investment conference dedicated to resource exploration.
2016 Events
Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (December 6 & 7, 2016)
Dr. Kevin Telmer, Dr. Linda McGrew, and Peter Rosenbluth were key participants in the Global Opportunities for Long-term Development in the ASGM Sector Event. This event brought together players in ASGM, including governments, agencies, NGOs, and the private sector, and included a keynote address from Gina McCarthy, Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Jakarta, Indonesia (November 17, 2016)
The AGC Project Sustainable Development of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Indonesia held its 1st Steering Committee Meeting.
Jakarta, Indonesia (November 2 – 4, 2016)
Richard Gutierrez was a Keynote Speaker at this international conference entitled Community mining in Indonesia: Minimising harm, maximising benefits. Attendees include national and international experts from government, university, industry and NGO sectors, gathering to share their understanding of community mining in Indonesia. The presentation was titled: The Importance of Formal Gold Markets and the Reduction of Mercury Use in the Development of the Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining Sector.
Lima, Peru (October 24 & 25, 2016)
Dr. Kevin Telmer moderated a panel discussion entitled “Small and Artisanal Miners: Who are they and are they looking for investment?” at the Latin America Mining & Investment Summit.
Kingston, Jamaica (October 18 & 19, 2016)
Dr. Arnaldo Sanchez was invited by the Pan American and World Health Organizations to participate in a gathering of experts discussing the Health Sector in the Implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. His presentation is titled ASGM Public Heath Strategies: Possible Scenarios.
Singapore (October 16 – 18, 2016)
Dr. Kevin Telmer spoke to the topic of Responsible Artisanal Gold at the 2016 London Bullion Market Association / London Platinum and Palladium Market Precious Metals Conference; LBMA/LPPM Precious Metals Conference.
Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (September 28 – 30, 2016)
Dr. Kevin Telmer travels to be a special guest at the DC ASGM Roundtable Discussion hosted by NRDC, (presentation available here) and at an ASGM discussion hosted by US Department of State, International Labour Organization, and the US Department of Labor (presentation here).
Entebbe, Uganda (September 15 & 16, 2016)
Eric Negulic of the AGC presented on general ASGM inventory methodologies and the process of developing country-specific ASGM inventories at the workshop on regional mercury trade and ASGM mercury inventories put on by COWI and the World Bank.
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (August 30, 2016)
AGC hosted a coordination meeting with Jane Dennison (USDOS) and Kirsten Dales (CIRDI) at AGC HQ. Potential future collaborations that build on past work were discussed.
New York City, U.S.A. (December 11, 2016)
AGC was content creator and co-organizer of the Artisanal Gold Investment Models Workshop in New York on December 11, 2015 – held to inform investors and the downstream gold sector on the opportunities to build businesses in the ASGM sector and encourage greater private sector engagement, along with NRDC, US Department of State and RESOLVE
Philippines (April, 2016)
Dr. Telmer was a key speaker at the AGC Summit in the Philippines in April check out the storify
Amman, Jordan (ZMWG Press Release, March 9th, 2016)
Despite progress, global mercury agreement undermined by uncontrolled production and trade. Groups ask governments to fast track ratification, early implementation of Minamata Treaty. Read more here.
Lima, Peru (February 24-25, 2016)
AGC attended the EITI’s 7th Global Conference. To read more click here
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (February, 2016)
Hugh Stephens has been appointed to the board of directors of the Artisanal Gold Council. Hugh is currently Vice Chair of the Canadian Committee on Pacific Economic Cooperation (CANCPEC), Senior Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Executive Fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, and an associate faculty member in the School of Business at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC
2015 Events
New York, N.Y. – (December 11, 2015)
AGC was content creator and co-organizer of the Artisanal Gold Investment Models Workshop held to inform investors and the downstream gold sector on the opportunities to build businesses in the ASGM sector and encourage greater private sector engagement, along with NRDC, US Department of State and RESOLVE – link
AGC at the 2015 Health in the implementation of the Minamata Convention (October 20, 2015)
The Minamata Convention calls for countries to implement national public health strategies as part of their national action plans. The Uruguayan Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation co-hosted a workshop addressing this in Montevideo, Uruguay October 7-8, 2015. The energy among participants were representatives from the ministries of health from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela was palpable. Heidi Monk presented AGC’s work with artisanal and small-scale gold miners. The workshop was part of a larger strategy to engage ministries of health in the implementation of the Minamata Convention. Read our new blog post about creating national public health strategies for ASGM in Latin America here.
AGC releases Guide for mercury inventory (October 15, 2015)
The Artisanal Gold Council releases the first version of its mercury inventory guide “Developing Baseline Estimates of Mercury Use in Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Communities: A Practical Guide.” The guide is an educational and training document that can be used as a practical introduction to conducting baseline estimates of mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities. The guide has been designed to assist governments, civil-society organizations and the private sector in carrying out mercury inventories in ASGM communities, with the primary purpose of providing the baseline needed to measure progress in transitioning away from mercury use. This guide is designed to supplement already existing documents by showing practical field methods that can easily be implemented by a wide variety of stakeholders. Available for download (PDF) in English
September 30, 2015
Artisanal Gold Council is working with artisanal gold miners in Peru to improve practices and facilitate the production of responsible artisanal gold. Miners and local governments are equally enthusiastic about this transition. This short video demonstrates artisanal gold miners extracting and processing ore from colluvial mine sites in the Apurimac Region of the Peruvian Andes. To watch the video, please click here.
AGC Press Releases (August 7, 2015)
Senegal: Artisanal Gold Council establishes miner operated mercury free processing system and training centre in Senegal (English) Burkina Faso: Artisanal Gold Council delivers responsible mercury free artisanal gold from its pilot processing plant in Burkina Faso to the international market (English)
AGC project updates: Burkina Faso and Senegal (May 14, 2015)
The AGC has made significant progress toward improving the ASGM sectors of Burkina Faso and Senegal throughout 2014, and continue to carry this momentum forward in 2015. Project updates highlighting recent accomplishments are now available for both countries in English and French. Burkina Faso: English, French Senegal: English, French
AGC releases health training textbook (May 13, 2015)
The Artisanal Gold Council releases the first version of its health training textbook “La santé dans l’orpaillage et l’exploitation minière artisanale — Un manuel pour instructeurs.” The textbook is designed for instructors and health professionals to convey key information concerning the communities involved in the broad area of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM). Although some health problems are similar to those of the general population members, ASM communities have their own diseases due to their work. The textbook is divided into five chapters, allowing users to concentrate on particular areas of interest. Available for download (PDF) in French.
May 2015: AGC presents at the OECD forum on Responsible Supply Chains (May 12, 2015)
The agenda and Participants is available for download (PDF) here. AGC’s presentation on the 2kg business Model on the session “Financing models for responsible artisanal and small-scale mining and development of market-oriented activities” is available for download (PDF) in English.
Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Forum 2015 (April 13, 2015)
The Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) will participate in the Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Forum on Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining and the Minamata Convention on Mercury, held in Dar Es Salaam from the 14-16th of April, 2015. The forum focus on the issue of mercury reduction in the ASGM sector to comply with the Minamata Convention on Mercury. A large focus is the creation of National Action Plans (NAPs) and their obligations under the convention. The forum is an opportunity for the AGC to continue its involvement in assisting with implementing the Minamata Convention with regards to the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector. Other participants include 9 African Governments, World Bank Group, UNIDO, UNEP, the US Department of State and other civil society organizations such as NRDC.
ASGM Guidance and Honduras Presentation (Feb. 2015)
Our Executive Director, Dr. Kevin Telmer, gave a presentation on “Minería Artesanal y Pequeña Escala (MAPE)” to the world bank in Honduras, February 2015. Available for download (PDF) in English
2014 Events
Presentation on Responsible Artisanal Gold Mining Sector
Our Board of Director member, Paul Schure, gave a presentation on “Responsible Artisanal Gold Mining Sector” at the Towards Responsible and “Conflict-Free” Mineral Supply Chains in the Great Lakes Region of Africa conference in association with PAC (Partnership Africa Canada), held in Ottawa on June 26.
Presentation on Améliorer le Secteur Artisanal de l’Or de la RDC par la Réduction de l’Utilisation de Mercure comme Point d’Entrée
Our Executive Director, Dr. Kevin Telmer, gave a presentation on “Améliorer le Secteur Artisanal de l’Or de la RDC par la Réduction de l’Utilisation de Mercure comme Point d’Entrée” as part of a workshop in association with the World Bank and PROMINES, held in Kinshasa on May 2nd.
AGC on University of Victoria newsletter
On the cover of World@UVIC. The AGC was profiled for this University of Victoria newsletter. Highlighting the work of Professor Kevin Telmer, Post Doctoral Fellow Paleah Moher, Ph.D. Candidate Ricardo Rossin and M.A. Candidate Anthony Persaud in the reduction of mercury use in the ASGM. You can find the newsletter here.
Poster Presentation on AGC and Universities
University of Victoria (UVic) economic co-op student Nevena Boskovic presented a poster highlighting the connections between AGC and universities, in finding solutions for sustainable small scale mining, at the CUVIC 2014 community-university engagement conference this May in Victoria.
AGC Presentation
The AGC delivers a Master Class at the Dubai Precious Metals Conference 2014 held on April 6-7. Our Executive Director, Dr. Kevin Telmer, gave a presentation on “Doing Business with the Small and Artisanal Gold Mining Sector Responsibly”, focusing on buying ASM gold while reducing mercury use, improving environmental performance, reducing poverty, creating jobs and economic diversity. Presentation available for download (PDF) in English
Mercury Free System and Training Centre for Artisanal Gold Miners
The Artisanal Gold Council has taken a major step forward in its efforts to improve the environmental and health conditions of artisanal and small-scale gold miners in Burkina Faso with the establishment of a pilot mercury-free gold processing system and training centre. Read more here. Vous pouvez aussi trouver la version française iciPuede encontrar la versión español aquí Here is a small video on the steps to develop the plant YouTube Video (Now also in French)
Presentation to the OECD webinar
The Artisanal Gold Council, in collaboration with the University of Victoria, Partnership Africa Canada and PAMP, presents to the OECD webinar to discuss the development of an ASM sourcing tool that aims to maximize the visibility of the ASM supply chain while complying with OECD Due Diligence requirements.
2013 Events
Presentation to LBMA/LPPM Precious Metals Conference 2013
The Artisanal Gold Council delivers a new Socially Responsible Investment concept at the LBMA/LPPM Precious Metals Conference 2013 held in Rome 29 September – 1 October. In the Responsible Gold Forum hosted by RJC and LBMA, executive director, Dr. Kevin Telmer, presented “the Artisanal Gold ETF”, a socially responsible investment vehicle to support sustainable development in artisanal gold mining communities. See more on our Artisanal Gold Fund page.
Technical Guidance on Mercury in the ASGM
AGC, UNIDO, and UNEP launch the Spanish version of technical guidance document on mercury in the ASGM entitled: Guía Práctica: Reducción del uso de mercurio en la minería de oro artesanal y de pequeña escala
September 2013
The AGC will be participating and leading two of the sessions at the Second Global Forum on Artisanal and Small Scale Mining to be held from 3-5 September 2013 in Lima, Peru. Myrianne Richard will be moderating and presenting at the session “Health Issues Related to ASGM” Anthony Persaud will be leading as well as presenting at the session “Importance of Inventory Development”. For more information please visit the UNEP website.
August 2013
A new on-line tool is available! The AGC launches a new health website – Artisanal Mining Health – where people can access information on health related projects in ASM across the globe, network, and share resources. The “map my project” feature allows you to add a past or present project to our database and see it on our interactive map
July 2013
Reducing Mercury Use in Nicaragua’s Prosperous Artisanal Gold Mines. A growing artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector (ASGM), budding collaboration between the formal gold mining sector and the informal sector, and unfortunate but avoidable mercury use is the current picture of Nicaragua’s gold mining sector. The Artisanal Gold Council, in collaboration with government and local partners and through the support of the United States Department of State, will now begin work in the region to assist in the reduction of mercury use and the improvement of community health and governance.
July 2013
The Artisanal Gold Council will attend and lead various special sessions on ASGM at the 11th International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (ICMGP) in July 2013 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Kevin Telmer and Dr. Marcello Veiga will chair 2 sessions on the technical and environmental approaches of ASGM and Dr. Paleah Black Moher will chair a session on the health concerns and solutions associated with ASGM. We will also host a special display for the public on Sunday July 28th, so please come and visit us (more information here)
July 2013
The AGC participated in the first Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Hub Webinar organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Secretariat and Interim Governance Group on Due Diligence for Responsible Supply Chains. The Webinar was highlighted by presentations from Juan Guillermo Castro, National Agency of Mining, Colombia and Patrick Schein, Board Member, Alliance for Responsible Mining. The discussion was facilitated by Dr.Kevin Telmer, Executive Director of the Artisanal Gold Council.
June 2013
An updated Technical Global Background Report for the Global Mercury Assessment 2013 has been published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Dr. Kevin Telmer of the Artisanal Gold Council is a lead author and contributor. A key point within this report is the identification of artisanal and small-scale gold mining as the single largest source of anthropogenic mercury emissions to the environment.
May 2013
The AGC provided an in-depth 2-day training session to key stakeholders in the Ivory Coast. Participants were trained on ASGM inventories and the National Action Plan according to the Minamata Convention guidelines. This ongoing project will engage with local partners who will use it to conduct a national inventory of ASGM activities under the direction of the AGC.
May 2013
The AGC visits Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso to launch our mercury-free technology and national action plan training in Francophone West Africa, facilitated by our AGC-UNIDO-UNEP technical guidance documents.
May 2013
The AGC attended meetings in Paris to provide expertise and field experience to the OECD’s Due Diligence on Gold, an agreement that will have a significant impact on ASGM gold miners all over the globe.
April 2013
The Artisanal Gold Council visits Nicaragua in to assess the ASGM sector and develop a future project to improve the sector.
March 2013
The AGC provided expertise to a panel discussion on “Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining – Lessons from the Past and Present for the Future” at the Prospectors and Developers Association Canada (PDAC) in Toronto.
January 2013
The AGC participated in the fifth and final session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC5) in Geneva, where the text was agreed upon for the Minamata Convention (available here), a global legally binding instrument on mercury which will have a large impact on global ASGM.
2012 Events
December 2012
The Artisanal Gold Council provided a series of mercury reduction and mercury-free technology training sessions to artisanal gold miners in Ghana with Solidaridad.
November – December 2012
The AGC visits Senegal and Burkina Faso in to continue activities in Francophone West Africa.
November 2012
The AGC along with UNEP and UNIDO is proud to announce the completion of the French version of our technical guidance document: Guide Pratique: Réduire l’utilisation du mercure dans le secteur de l’orpaillage et de l’exploitation minière artisanale.
November 2012
The Artisanal Gold Council was consulted on the development of the OECD’s Gold Supplement for Due Diligence on Supply Chains in Paris in November 2012. See the document here.
September 2012
AGC participates in the fourth Partnership Advisory Group Meeting of the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership in Rome.
June 2012
Kevin Telmer, Director of the AGC, gave the keynote speech during main plenary at the World Bank Mining Forum in Cameroon. He also lead a workshop for over 200 attendees from Civil Society Organizations. See Presentation.
June 2012
The AGC was in attendance at the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to prepare a global legally binding instrument on Mercury. (INC4) was held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from June 27th to July 2nd, 2012.
2011 Events
October 2011
The AGC participated in the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC3), held in Nairobi.
August 2011
AGC and the International Union of Geosciences Commission on Geosciences for Environmental Managament hold workshop in in Namibia.
April 2011
The AGC invites you to join them at the Gold, Substance, Significance and Symbol conference in New York City from April 7-9, 2011. The conference will explore gold from mine to market, goldsmith to mint.
February 2011
The AGC is attending the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) meeting held in Paris. AGC will attend the Pre-conference meeting on Transparency, Certification and Artisanal Mining, being hosted by the World Bank.
January 2011
The AGC participated in the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC2), held in Chiba Japan.
2010 Events
December 2010
The AGC is on the steering committee for the UNEP Global Forum on Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining – which was held in the Philippines.
October 2010
The AGC visited ASM sites in Ghana and Tanzania. Field assessments were conducted and local partnerships were established (projects details available on this site). A presentation was given by AGC director Kevin Telmer.
September 2010
Artisanal Gold Coins now available for sale. Minted by artisans on Lasqueti Island, proceeds from the sale of this one ounce gold coin will fund AGC projects. Help support the AGC’s mission and contribute to the Artisanal Gold Fund.
June 2010
AGC participated in the United Nation’s first session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC1) to prepare a forthcoming Global Mercury Treaty.
March 2010
Kevin Telmer attended the SAICM Meeting in Siem Riep, Cambodia, on behalf of the AGC. The meeting was hosted by UNEP and focused on National Strategic Plans for responsible ASGM Development in Asia.
2009 Events
October 2009
Presentation on ASGM to the UNEP Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) Meeting focused on the development of a Global Mercury treaty, delivered.
February 2009
Presentation on Canada’s potential role on reducing mercury in ASGM within the United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) Global Mercury Partnership, and the global legally binding instrument on mercury. This presentation was delivered to Canadian governmental agencies.