Sound management of mercury-containing tailings in artisanal and small-scale gold mining - Minamata COP4 side event

Under the first segment of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP4 - 1 to 5 November 2021), the UNEP Global Mercury Partnership Area on Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) and the Minamata Convention Secretariat co-hosted on 3 November 2021 a side event on the sound management of mercury-containing tailings in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. The event provided an overview of the updated version of the guidance document on National Action Plans, presented suggested best practices and recommendations for the management of ASGM tailings and featured experiences from countries.

Agenda :

• NAP guidance document update in relation to ASGM tailings management by Ludovic Bernaudat, UNEP, co-lead of the Mercury in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining Partnership Area
• Best Practices and recommendations for management of ASGM tailings by Malgorzata Stylo, UNEP
• Managing ASGM tailings in Zimbabwe, nation experience sharing, by Christopher Mushava, Environmental Management Agency of Zimbabwe
• Removing mercury from tailings experience from Colombia by Alfonso Rodriguez, Pure Earth Colombia

Moderated by Kenneth Davis, UNEP