New artisanal and small-scale mining guidelines aim to drive up global standards

• New guidance, endorsed by IGF’s 56 member nations, is the first universal framework designed to improve how governments manage artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM)
• It comes as the ASM sector is booming due largely to rising demand for cobalt, gold and precious stones
• These guidelines also represent a much-needed blueprint for coordination between governments, associated mining companies and downstream businesses
• Once implemented at country-level, the Guidance has the potential to significantly improve and facilitate responsible sourcing efforts driven by global industry
• IGF Guidance for Governments: Managing artisanal and small-scale mining was produced by RCS Global with input from stakeholders during multiple global consultations in 2015 and 2016

RCS Global and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) have launched the first universal framework designed to improve how governments manage artisanal and small-scale mining.

An industry in need of formalisation

The guidance comes at a crucial time for the sector as demand for materials such as cobalt, gold and precious stones fuel continued growth in ASM, especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is estimated that close to 25 million artisanal and small-scale miners currently operate globally with a further 100 million workers are indirectly involved in the industry. This dwarfs the number active in large-scale mining and presents a huge development opportunity. Unfortunately, management of the sector is currently typically weak and inconsistent.

The informal mining sector can be a source of social conflict and can result in serious impacts on human health and the environment. Integrating artisanal and small-scale mining into the formal economy can help miners and communities by increasing security, creating a path towards more stable incomes and ensuring that safer and more environmentally sustainable practices are employed. It can also help spur longer-term economic and social development and ensure that the entire nation benefits from the exploitation of natural resources.

Potential impact of the IGF Guidance

The Guidance represents the first major attempt to implement a global standard for managing and improving artisanal and small-scale mining. It offers countries with ASM operations a clear mechanism to better monitor, regulate, and improve the sector and has been endorsed by the IGF’s 56 member governments. It also provides the blueprint for improved coordination between ASM host governments at the national and regional levels, and global downstream businesses operating in the sector.

“Effective management of a sector as complex as artisanal and small-scale mining is extremely challenging.

“We strove to design a flexible toolkit which will help our member governments implement a strategy which is founded on global best practices and then adapted to suit national goals and realities.”

Greg Radford, director of the IGF Secretariat.

From the industry side, IGF Guidance for Governments: Managing artisanal and small-scale mining will allow mining companies and downstream businesses to: better coordinate their upstream engagement with ASM host governments and mining sites directly; improve their ASM due diligence; and further prove compliance with responsible sourcing requirements. Once implemented at the country level, the Guidance will also ensure a more predictable, reliable and responsible sourcing environment for mineral traders, refiners and manufacturers.

The Guidance itself takes governments through a step-by-step process covering the planning, development, and – crucially – the implantation stage of an ASM management strategy and several governments are already consulting with the IGF about implementing this process.

It also endorsed by virtually every key industry body in the sector:

“The Cobalt Development Institute welcomes the IGF Guidance for Governments on managing artisanal and small-scale mining, as only a concerted effort by concerned parties, including governments which have a major part to play, will succeed in improving livelihoods in this important economic sector.”

The Cobalt Development Institute

“The World Gold Council supports responsible ASM that demonstrates appropriate environmental, safety and labour practices and is not linked to conflict. We support access to international markets for gold from responsible ASM. We recognise the efforts of RCS Global, and their ASM Guidance, who are playing a key role in seeking to improve ASM conditions and practices and enable access to markets.”

Terry Heymann, Chief Financial Officer, World Gold Council

“We welcome the development of good practice guidance for Governments on responsible mining, such as the ASM Guidance for Governments. We look forward to drawing on the Guidance within our work on this issue and we will support its promulgation across multi-stakeholder forums.”

Tyler Gillard, Head of Sector Projects, Responsible Business Conduct Unit, OECD.

Commenting on the Guidelines, RCS Global Director Dr Nicholas Garrett added:

“While some governments have made progress on managing ASM, many lack the capacity and technical knowledge to achieve their goals, which has knock-on effects on industries’ ability to have a meaningful impact on improving conditions in the upstream of their supply chains.

“This guidance is primarily a tool for government, but everyone benefits when ASM is managed properly. Industry can help governments to engage with this tool in order to improve the operational environment in order to achieve their goals of responsibly sourcing materials and demonstrating developmental impact.

“We look forward to working with stakeholders worldwide in the implementation of the guidance.”