Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a significant economic sector, employing 20 million people across 80 countries and producing up to 20% of the world’s gold supply. On May 16, the IGF hosted a webinar exploring how governments can take action to support responsible ASGM tailings management, particularly the disposal of hazardous materials like mercury that pose significant risks to human health and the environment.
This webinar presented a new IGF report designed to inform policy-makers about ASGM extraction, processing, tailings generation, management, and reprocessing. It also covers mercury recovery, management, and disposal. Authors and experts discussed existing governance frameworks, including guidelines from the United Nations Environment Program, and recommendations for policy-makers to improve awareness, education, safety, and regulation of ASGM tailings.
Opening Remarks
- Jane Dennison, Office of Environmental Quality, Department of State, United States
- Greg Radford, Director, IGF
Moderator
- Clémence Naré, Senior Law Advisor, IGF
Speakers
- Grégoire Bellois, Senior Policy Advisor, IGF
- Alfonso Rodriguez, Global Technical Director, Pure Earth
- Nellie Mutemeri, Mining Practice Director, MutConsult
- Giorgio de Tomi, Director, USP Centre for Responsible Mining