© Ronald De Hommel
October 24th 2014
The Alliance for Responsible Mining – ARM, in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development – IIED, is proud to present a new publication that explores challenges and opportunities for the Formalization of the Artisanal and Small Scale mining sector in Colombia, with a strong emphasis on gold. We have launched the English publication today at the 10th Annual General Meeting of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) taking place in Geneva, Switzerland and we look forward to having it available in Spanish early 2015.
About the publication:
‘What is legal?’ Formalising artisanal and small-scale mining in Colombia by Cristina Echavarría.
Colombia’s mining sector is characterised by widespread informality. A recent census revealed that 72 per cent of all mining operations in Colombia are classed as ‘artisanal and small-scale mining’ (ASM), and 63 per cent are ‘informal’, lacking a legal mining concession or title. Large-scale mining (LSM) comprises only one per cent of operations. Over 340,000 Colombians depend directly on ASM and medium-scale mining (MSM) for their income. This informality deprives the state of important financial resources, while the current poor conditions (environmental, social, health and safety, labour, technical and trading) prevent the sector from delivering on important social objectives, such as generating formal employment and improving quality of life in mining communities.
This paper assesses these past formalisation processes, analysing the barriers to formalisation for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and offering approaches to overcome them. It highlights that now is a critical moment for Colombia’s mining sector as positive drivers align for change: the government’s 2013 formalisation policy; evolving relationships between ASM and large-scale mining; global drivers such as mercury elimination, conflict-free mineral sourcing and investment in traceable certified gold; and the peace negotiations currently underway to end more than 50 years of armed conflict, of which formalisation of ASM is a key component.
About the author:
Cristina Echavarría has over 30 years of experience in grassroots community development, social research and administration of research programs in participatory natural resource management, with emphasis on the social, environmental and governance dimensions of the sustainable development of mineral rich regions. Cristina Echavarría is an independent researcher and advisor on mining and communities, artisanal and small-scale mining, and ethnic groups. She is a director of the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) and Chair of its Fairmined Standard Committee. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Regional Studies of the University of Antioquia (Colombia), an Industry Fellow at the Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland (Australia), and an independent member of the mining company BHP Billiton’s Forum on Corporate Responsibility.
About ARM and IIED collaboration:
The International Institute for Environment and Development – IIED is one of the world’s top development and environment policy research organizations. For over 30 years it has carried out research, advised governments and businesses and argued for changes in public policy. Since 2013 ARM and IIED have been collaborating in the development of an ASM knowledge programme to improve the design and implementation of policy and practical initiatives, of governments, the private sector, ASM organizations and civil society, so that the ASM sector is more socially just and contributes to sustainable development.
This publication on Colombia´s formalization experience is the result of this collaboration. It is our hope that this study will provide much needed insight on the challenges of formalization and that it will contribute to more informed and better decision making process in Colombia and in other countries facing similar situations.
Please click here to check the publication in the IIED website.
Download the publication in English here