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.