US Awards Nonprofit Funding to Support ASM Sector 

The US Department of State has granted nonprofit group Pact new funding to expand its work in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector in Africa.  

Pact will use the money to reduce mercury in the gold mines in Mali’s ASGM segment, while strengthening transparent supply chains, the organization said earlier this month. It will also use the funds to publish a responsible gold-trading report containing an analysis of the main obstacles to and key recommendations for formal trade in the yellow metal in Mali. In addition, it will establish a monitoring committee to prevent illegal gold smuggling from West Africa, Pact explained. 

The organization plans to launch a project in Tanzania to ensure a reduction in the dual use of mercury and cyanide for processing gold ore and mining tailings. 

The new awards will “boost productivity, transparency, safety and environmental stewardship in a sector producing 20% to 30% of the world’s gold but responsible for nearly 40% of mercury emissions,” said James McQuilken, Pact’s director of responsible mining. “By partnering with governments, industry and community-led groups, we’ll strengthen their capacity to implement mercury-free technologies and safe practices and formalize operations, while also advancing gender equality by addressing the disproportionate impact of mercury on women miners and highlight their often-hidden roles in ASGM.”   

Pact supports 1,700 miners in southwestern Mali, with a focus on decreasing gold smuggling, preventing conflict financing and ASGM formalization. 

Image: The process of mercury amalgamation in Zimbabwe. (Maggie Dougherty/Pact)