In November 2024 the planetGOLD Uganda project convened its annual stakeholders meeting in Kampala under the theme "Building Uganda's mercury-free artisanal gold mining sector." The meeting brought together the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, artisanal miners' associations, environmental regulators and technical partners around a shared objective: replace mercury amalgamation in Ugandan ASGM with cleaner processing technology.
Sensitisation is starting to translate into practice
Field reporting from planetGOLD in July 2024 documented artisanal gold miners actively engaging with mercury-awareness training. Community members quoted in the reporting described the sensitisation as the first time they had been taught, in plain language, how mercury exposure damages health and water systems - and how mercury-free alternatives can still recover competitive grades of gold.
Why this is a positive signal for the sector
For gold buyers, refiners and investors screening Ugandan supply, the practical relevance is straightforward: a mercury-free ASGM channel is a due-diligence-friendly channel. As programmes like planetGOLD scale, it becomes easier to source Ugandan artisanal gold that clears responsible-sourcing standards without relying solely on large industrial producers.
