Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) practices are widespread and persistent across Latin America. Driven by the global demand for gold, these activities contribute to negative impacts such as extensive deforestation, degradation of highly biodiverse ecosystems and the release of toxic chemicals such as mercury that endanger the health of communities living downstream.

Solutions to this challenge require combinations of technological and policy interventions that can promote the adoption of new practices while also recognize the socioeconomic vulnerabilities that drive individuals to engage in informal (and often illegal) gold mining.

This team explored the interconnections of the environmental impacts, human health vulnerabilities and policy needs as they relate to impacts of ASGM in Peru and Ecuador. Members of the team conducted environmental field studies of river water quality near mining, surveyed communities near gold mining activity and engaged with individuals participating in the gold mining sector.

Learn more about this team’s work by reading their team profile.

Timing

Summer 2023 – Summer 2024

Team Outputs

Evaluating and Mitigating the Damaging Effects of Mercury-Based Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in South America (Poster presented at Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, April 17, 2024)

Panning for Solutions to the Challenges of Informal Gold Mining (Team profile; 2024 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase)

Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining on Humans and the Environment (Lightning talk; 2024 Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase)

This Team in the News

Predicting Cyanide’s Role in Making Mercury More Dangerous

See earlier related team, Field Testing a Mercury Capture System for Artisanal Gold Mining (2021-2022).

Image: Members of the Bass Connections team engage in field work. (Photo courtesy of the Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining on Humans and the Environment project team)