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Collaborating with Swiss Gold Refiners, Earthworm Foundation aims to improve the livelihoods and well-being of artisans in Artisanal small-scale (ASM) Gold mining, eliminate mercury use, and enhance supply chain transparency.
Over the past two decades, Artisanal small-scale (ASM) Gold mining has grown substantially in many developing nations. According to estimates from international organisations such as the World Bank, around 15 to 20 million people primarily depend on ASM for their livelihoods. It is also believed that ASM contributes up to 20% of newly mined gold worldwide.
Conscious of the importance of the small-scale mining (ASM) economy for the livelihoods of many communities worldwide, Artisanal small-scale (ASM) Gold mining often presents social and environmental challenges and a lack of transparency. Artisanal small-scale (ASM) Gold mining is perceived as risky, and the industry has largely looked to avoid it. Nonetheless, gold will likely be present in many supply chains through recycling.
The real issues include environmental (mercury, deforestation), social (human rights), and lack of transparency (informality, little traceability).
Recent studies from academic and industrial groups have pointed to the need for supply chain partnership approaches between artisanal Small-Scale (ASM) Gold Mining and ore processing plants as an economical and practical pathway to improving ASM practices. Processing plants are a demonstrated and scalable way—in the appropriate geographies (i.e., for mineral gold, not alluvial gold)—to reach the goals of zero mercury and transparent supply chains.
Earthworm Foundation has over 25 years of experience working with supply chains and across various raw materials. This expertise can be leveraged to drive change in the gold sector and incorporate artificial small-scale (ASM) gold mining into responsible value chains.
With this objective, Earthworm Foundation has been working with three main Swiss Gold Refiners, PX Precinox, Metalor, and Argor-Heraeus, to tackle the difficult issue by taking concrete action to:
1) Develop and promote the ASM processing plant in relevant geographies
2) Dive deeper into the ASM situation through field visits to better understand what potential actions may be relevant to generate positive impacts.
“Trust and solutions are built together, and it takes time.”
In this Leading to Impact episode, PX Group Co-CEO Philippe Chave shares with Bastien Sachet how his values help PX Precinox SA and its efforts towards improving the conditions of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (ASM) across their supply chains. Learn more about his views on the value of partnerships and more.
To effectively integrate Artisanal Small-Scale (ASM) Gold Mining into a responsible global value chain.
Vision
Align to transform
Communication
Countries of Engagement
“Our objective with these guidelines is not to produce ‘another standard’. Rather, we want to equip companies and practitioners with the right tools to confidently navigate a challenging environment – the ASM sector – and allow them to move from being a perceived risk to an opportunity for positive impact”.
Looking to create a more sustainable and transparent gold supply chain? We understand the challenges of sourcing from artisanal and small-scale (ASM) miners. That’s why we’ve developed a practical toolkit to help you take meaningful steps towards responsible ASM gold sourcing.
The Guidelines for Responsible ASM Sourcing, Risk Assessment Tool and Technical Guidelines are designed to help processing plants integrate ASM gold responsibly, ensuring sustainability, traceability, and positive impact from mine to market.
The comprehensive set of tools includes:
Download all four essential tools today to support better livelihoods for miners, reduce environmental risks, and meet international standards.
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For inquiries, contact Marika Korent at m.korent@earthworm.org or Sandra Romero at s.romero@earthworm.org
