Creating a Sustainable Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Sector

This document presents a case study in La Segovia, Colombia, where researchers and educators collaborated with miners to improve gold recovery and reduce mercury exposure. It outlines whole-ore amalgamation and unfiltered burning, then describes UNIDO interventions: optimized milling, gravity concentration, managed tank cyanidation, filters and retorts, and formalization contracts with Gran Colombia Gold including safety measures and pensions. Outcomes reported are halved mercury use across 35 centers, expansion of mercury-free capacity, and nearly 50% lower urban mercury vapor despite a 30% rise in gold output.