Recovering lost gold with improved efficiency, productivity and environmental impacts in Kenya

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is a subsistence level livelihood for many rural communities across the world. In Kenya, it provides work for an estimated 40,000 people and produces 5 metric tons of gold per year (Barreto et al. 2018). The impact of ASGM is double-edged with the economic benefits offset by damage to the environment and the health of mining communities, particularly due to the widespread use of mercury to recover gold. As a signatory to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (UNEP 2017), Kenya has agreed to eliminate the use of mercury, formalize the ASGM sector, introduce good practice, and protect the health of mining communities.