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Challenges to measuring, monitoring, and addressing the cumulative impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Ecuador

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  • Adler Miserendino, Rebecca
  • Bergquist, Bridget A.
  • Adler, Sara E.
  • Guimarães, Jean Remy Davée
  • Lees, Peter S.J.
  • Niquen, Wilmer
  • Velasquez-López, P. Colon
  • Veiga, Marcello M.

Abstract

Portovelo-Zaruma, Ecuador is an artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) region with approximately 6000 gold miners working with mercury and cyanide. Although artisanal gold mining (AGM) has taken place in Portovelo-Zaruma for centuries, highly mechanized small-scale gold mining (SGM) processing plants capable of increased throughput began being built in the 1990s. While there are benefits associated with ASGM, there are also negative impacts experienced by the miners and the surrounding communities. To take advantage of ASGM as a poverty-alleviating mechanism while reducing unwanted externalities, the cumulative impacts must be understood. Numerous challenges to measuring, monitoring, and addressing ASGM impacts result from the complexity of the impacts themselves, the nature of the gold mining as an informal industry, and the shortfalls in the current regulatory framework. These are discussed in the context of ongoing, unresolved issues including efforts to address trans-boundary water pollution, management of mining waste, and conflicts regarding priorities, ambiguities, and enforcement of existing regulations and policies. Internationally, interventions to address both AGM and SGM impacts have typically focused almost exclusively on technological changes through the elimination of mercury use. Our analysis suggests that to better address ASGM and their cumulative impacts in Ecuador, it will be beneficial to revisit the legal definitions of AGM and SGM. Additionally, promotion of information-based strategies including educational outreach programs and cross-scale and cross-level mitigation methods may also be beneficial. The success of these strategies to reduce ASGM-related cumulative impacts will depend on sufficient funding and the commitment of stakeholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Adler Miserendino, Rebecca & Bergquist, Bridget A. & Adler, Sara E. & Guimarães, Jean Remy Davée & Lees, Peter S.J. & Niquen, Wilmer & Velasquez-López, P. Colon & Veiga, Marcello M., 2013. "Challenges to measuring, monitoring, and addressing the cumulative impacts of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Ecuador," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 713-722.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:38:y:2013:i:4:p:713-722
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2013.03.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas, Maxim J. & Veiga, Marcello M. & Marshall, Bruce G. & Dunbar, W. Scott, 2019. "Artisanal gold supply chain: Measures from the Ecuadorian Government," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    2. Franks, Daniel M. & Brereton, David & Moran, Chris J., 2013. "The cumulative dimensions of impact in resource regions," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 640-647.
    3. Corbett, Tony & O'Faircheallaigh, Ciaran & Regan, Anthony, 2017. "‘Designated areas’ and the regulation of artisanal and small-scale mining," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 393-401.
    4. Bryan Salgado-Almeida & Daniel A. Falquez-Torres & Paola L. Romero-Crespo & Priscila E. Valverde-Armas & Fredy Guzmán-Martínez & Samantha Jiménez-Oyola, 2022. "Risk Assessment of Mining Environmental Liabilities for Their Categorization and Prioritization in Gold-Mining Areas of Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-17, May.
    5. María Paula Flórez Jiménez & Ángela María Plata & Andrés Acero & Luz Stella Gaona & Álex Smith Araque & Didier Sierra, 2021. "Participatory Analysis of Small-Scale Artisanal Gold Mining in the Santa Rita District, Municipality of Andes, Antioquia, Based on the PAIIO Methodology," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 34(6), pages 669-681, December.
    6. V. L. Morgan & E. S. McLamore & M. Correll & G. A. Kiker, 2021. "Emerging mercury mitigation solutions for artisanal small-scale gold mining communities evaluated through a multicriteria decision analysis approach," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 41(3), pages 413-424, September.
    7. Ruth Zárate-Rueda & Claudia Lisbeth Vélez-Hernández & José Alonso Caballero-Márquez, 2021. "Socio-environmental conflicts resulting from extractive activities in Latin America and Corporate Social Responsibility," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, vol. 37(161), pages 668-679, October.
    8. Carlos Mestanza-Ramón & Demmy Mora-Silva & Giovanni D’Orio & Enrique Tapia-Segarra & Isabel Dominguez Gaibor & José Fernando Esparza Parra & Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez & Salvatore Straface, 2022. "Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM): Management and Socioenvironmental Impacts in the Northern Amazon of Ecuador," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Gallo Corredor, José Antonio & Lizeth Vargas González, Ginary & Velasco Granados, Marcela & Gutiérrez, Luis & Pérez, Edier Humberto, 2021. "Use of the gray water footprint as an indicator of contamination caused by artisanal mining in Colombia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    10. Fernando Morante-Carballo & Néstor Montalván-Burbano & Maribel Aguilar-Aguilar & Paúl Carrión-Mero, 2022. "A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-29, July.
    11. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Over-spilling institutions: The political ecology of ‘greening’ the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 438-453.
    12. Quintero-Angel, Mauricio & Coles, Ashley & Duque-Nivia, Andrés A., 2021. "A historical perspective of landscape appropriation and land use transitions in the Colombian South Pacific," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    13. Basir & Satomi Kimijima & Masayuki Sakakibara & Sri Manovita Pateda & Koichiro Sera, 2022. "Contamination Level in Geo-Accumulation Index of River Sediments at Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Area in Gorontalo Province, Indonesia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-14, May.
    14. Josephine Singo & Dingani Moyo & John Bosco Isunju & Stephan Bose-O’Reilly & Nadine Steckling-Muschack & Jana Becker & Antony Mamuse, 2022. "Health and Safety Risk Mitigation among Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Miners in Zimbabwe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-24, November.
    15. Tarra, Jorge A. & Restrepo, Oscar J. & Veiga, Marcello M., 2022. "Coexistence between conventional alluvial mining and artisanal mining to deal with problems associated with informality in the lower Nechí River Basin-Colombia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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