Artisanal Gold Mining and Biodiversity (ASGM):​ Restoring the Balance​

Pollution, including from the unsound management of chemicals and waste, is one of the key drivers threatening our planet’s biodiversity. Informal or poorly regulated artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), often using mercury and operating within or in the vicinity of protected areas, can lead to land degradation and deforestation, the contamination of soil and water bodies, and overuse of forest resources.