Gold Coalition | Youth | Eco-Mining | Members
Back to Rainforest Information CentreCoalition for Green Gold
if it ain't green, it ain't goldPILOT PROJECTS
1. Amur project in Russia (details coming soon)
2. Choco region, Columbia
A Proposal to achieve long term conservation of Rainforest by community groups by developing certified gold.
The story of Gold has often been linked with environmental damage. The physical destruction wrought by open cast and hydraulic mining, the ecosystemic damage wrought by the application of toxins and displacement of topsoil or the social damage of rapid cultural displacement are some examples. There has been the logical environmental response to these destructive practices. Yet the public interest in the metal endures, Gold has been appreciated for both its intrinsic and extrinsic qualities through human history. Thus an international group of ecologists, miners, activists and small traders began to explore the possibility of identifying processes that could provide 'Green gold' or gold that had been extracted in a non-destructive manner.
The initiative is being developed in California by groups headed by the
Institute of Cultural Ecology (ICE), USA. Rainforest Information Center
(RIC) Australia, Rainforest Rescue (FURARE) Ecuador, Rainforest Rescue International (RRI) Sri Lanka and Both Ends (BE) in the Netherlands. The national group in Colombia is comprised of Foundation Amigos del Choco, Rainforest Rescue, Foundation las Mojarras , Instituto de Investigationes Ambientales del Pacifco (IIAP ) and a growing list of both Government and civil organizations.This project was developed by RRI, FURARE and Amogis de Choco (AmChoco) at the field level and the original investigations were supported by RIC,RRI,FUREARE and AmChoco.
This particular project is centered around the Choco rainforest environments in Colombia. The Choco region of Colombia has long been recognized as probably the richest region of biodiversity on the planet. Botanists such as Alwyn Gentry have recorded in great detail the unique nature of the biodiversity of the region. Possessing one of the highest rates of rainfall on the planet this region of coastal mountains and drainage basins of the Pacific slopes of the Andes has acted not only as an incubator for biodiversity development but also as a catchment for the alluvial gold washed down from the Andes. The landscape of the region is dominated by the drainage of the Atrato river which drains the valley between the coastal range and the Andes to flow into the Atlantic Ocean . The vegetation was originally rainforest consisting of lowland alluvial plain forest and montane forest. Though much of the highland forest still remains vast tracts of the alluvial riverine forest has been destroyed over the last seventy five years and today confined to ever decreasing patches. The damage wrought to the biodiversity and sustainability of the unique ecosystems of the Choco has not been given the international attention that it deserves and that the concept of recognizing the ecological producers of gold could help in slowing the destructive trends that continue in the Choco even today.
Mining for gold began in the 1600s when Spain conducted a large number of mining operations using African slaves to provide the labour. It is the descendents of these slaves that populate much of the lowland Choco today and comprise over 80% of the ethnic makeup of the population. During the period 1914- 1935 British interests set up massive mining operations in the Choco, this was followed by the American Company Choco-Pacific who operated similar mining operations, which continued up till 1978. All during this time a large percentage of the local population worked as [artesenal miners] and operated in the same way that the Spanish mining operated in the 1600s. In about 1970Colombian companies operating with mechanized backhoes and dredges moved into the region. They were medium in size as compared to the past international operators. However they competed with the artesenal miners and disrupted their operations. It has been estimated that with this mechanized mining 85% of the income goes out of the community as compared to 90% of the income staying within the community in the case of artesenal mining. As an example of this impact it has been demonstrated that in 1988 there were 151 artesenal miners in the Condoto area as opposed to 15 today. This has resulted in the populace being forced to leave their communities in search of work elsewhere, often as labour for the mechanical miners.. When it is seen that 60% of the inhabitants of this region are involved in mining the potential impact becomes evident.
To appreciate the conditions prevailing it is useful to outline the types of mining used in the region. They can be divided into two sectors artesenal and industrial.
Artesenal mining :
Are mining practices that evolved before the advent of ore extraction using chemicals. Each method recognized as artesenal must demonstrate a history that illustrates the evolution of the technique. The scale that it is practiced in, must allow for the recuperation of the ecosystem, in a normal patch recovery time. In the Choco, three methods are used:
1. Panning in the river. This is the simplest method of mining and is usually practiced by women and children
2. Flow water method. Here rainwater or water from a small stream that is dammed up temporarily is used. The gold containing sediment is extracted from the streambed and washed using the stored water. Today a motorized pump may be used to assist with the washing.
3. The Hoyadero method. Here holes up to 18 meters are excavated by hand. The holes are usually dug till the bedrock is reached. The gold bearing stratum is them brought out to be washed in ponds constructed close to the hole being excavated or it may be passed through a screen using a water jet from a motorized pump.
In none of these methods is mercury or cyanide used for concentrating the gold. The sediment is washed by had and panned for its gold content.
Industrial mining:
1. Mechanical shovels, bulldozers and large draggers. This was the method of industrial mining used in the region for about seventy-five years by the British and American companies. The process was begun with stem driven equipment in the early 1900s and changed to internal combustion machines as the technology grew. The intensity of impact remained high. There does not seem to have been any concern for the environment during these operations. It is estimated that over 10,000 ha of the 20,000 ha area of riverine flats in the Condoto area has been affected by this mining. The method of mining was to remove the forest using bulldozers and to dig the subsoil to bedrock using large mechanized shovels. The soil was washed in large hydraulic concentrators. The mechanical concentration was completed using mercury. The area impacted by such mining operations is still in a disturbed state due to the fact that the soil has been washed out and only a base of boulders and rocks remain.
2. Dragettas, these are high-powered pumps mounted on boats. These are used in the river and stream systems to suck up the bottom sands, which is washed on the boat and the resulting sediment allowed to drain into the river.
3. Back Hoes. Backhoes fitted with track drives and bulldozer blades are the newest method of industrial mining. The operators are usually Colombian but from the central part of the country. As much of the land is untitled they operate freely moving into any stream system that looks promising and destroying all the vegetation that in the in extraction area. They often invade territories that were being operated by artesenal miners and destroy the resource completely.
All of the industrial operations described above utilize mercury as a part of their gold concentration procedure. Discussions with community leaders, miners and local politicians suggest that the local community see the operation of industrial mining a threat to their sustainability. They would like to see an empowerment of the local community by protecting their basic income resource.
It will be seen that, the damage done to the environment will be ephemeral, if the certification conditions are met. There will be no acid mine tailings, there will be no chemicals utilized in the extraction. The entire process uses human skill to extract the optimum amount of gold.
In 1995 a new law termed law 70 of the black communities was passed by the Colombian parliament. It gives opportunity for communities to gain control of their lands. Today about 1,150,000 ha of land in the Choco have been granted collective titles, about 2,650,000 more are in the process of being requested.
Given the present organization of the mining of gold in the Choco It is suggested that a Green Gold initiative be set up in Colombia in the following way.
The Project :
To develop an alternate marketing system for the artisenal miners of the Choco, that empowers them to conserve and protect their lands. The project will also seek to develop a system of certification for 'Green Gold' and
4. The international Consortium appoints an inspector to verify the capacity of the country partner to develop, administer and monitor the certification and purchase of Green Gold.
5. The country partner (Amigos de Choco in this case) will work with regional groups such as and local groups such as Foundation del Moharras to administer the program at the community level.
6. The local group will facilitate AdC to issue production certificates to artesenal miners within their community. The local group will then act as monitor and buyer of the ecologically produced gold. In essence they will take the place of the middleman. They will operate on a fund administered by our country partner and buy the gold at a premium rate.
4. The commission that is held by the middleman will serve as income for the operation of the local NGO and if the product flow is good this will ensure their sustainability.
All of the industrial operations utilize mercury as a part of their gold concentration procedure. Discussions with community leaders, miners and local politicians suggest that the local community see the operation of industrial mining a threat to their sustainability. They would like to see an empowerment of the local community by protecting their basic income resource.
In 1995 a new law termed law 70 of the black communities was passed by the Colombian parliament. It gives opportunity for communities to gain control of their lands. Today about 1,150,000 ha of land in the Choco have been granted collective titles, about 2,650,00 more are in the process of being requested.
Initial discussions with local community groups suggest that they will pass a law that allows only artisenal mining on their community lands. Thus the development of Green Gold from this region will mean an immediate conservation gain for the rainforests of the Choco. It will also confirm the traditional lifestyles and mining methods which will disappear under the onslaught of capital intensive mining, unless an initiative such as this is developed for the community
At present the Green Gold Initiative has a network of Colombian partners who are purchasing only from the artesianal miners. In our work a new resource was found. Jewelry grade raw nuggets and flake. There is a large difference between industrial (toxic) gold (dull lumps) and the artesianal Gold. In the artesianal gold the quality of the nuggets is evident.
It is proposed that the project be financed through a loan with low interest. This loan will be utilized to set up a Green Gold production unit in the Choco. It is estimated that an investment or loan of $145,000 will be sufficent to begin the process. The loan could be paid off in under an year.
It is also possible to tool up to a production of $1,000,000.00. Given such an investment it will be possible to get the Central Bank of Colombia to agree to a Green Gold coin to be minted in the sate registered mints.
Estimated Budget :
Director 60,000.00
Marketing & sales manager 40,000.00
Travel 25,000.00
Advertising budget 10,000.00
Communications 5000.00
Incidentals 5000.00
Total 145,000.00 per annum.
A 30% investment in the total budget ( 43, 939) and a loan of 100,000.00 can intiate the project. Estimated income on a loan of 100,000 given a return of 25 % is 25,000.00.
If one shipment of gold is made per month the loan can be repaid within
six months and the institution can be self supporting.
The estimates above is based on a permium of 50% over IGP on gold sold as Green Gold through the consortium. Some marketing studies suggest that premiums of over 200% can be gained if the better nuggets are made into jewellery.
3. Trinity River Clean-up -- The mercury laden Trinity river will be restored as habitat for fish and other plants and wildlife. In the process of removing mercury from a river contaminated from century old gold mines, gold bonded to the mercury will be extracted as part of the restoration process with revenues funding the clean-up process itself.
Join the Coalition for Green GoldGold Coalition | Youth | Eco-Mining | Members
Back to Rainforest Information Centre
