Overall targets
The overarching aim of the proposed project is for local miners in Tiira, Uganda, to demonstrate for national and international key stakeholders, that the mercury-free ‘direct smelting’ method for gold extraction is a viable alternative to the use of mercury in ASGM.
Immediate targets
1. Local miners learn and demonstrate the mercury-free direct smelting method to local, national and international stakeholders, including representatives from UNEP. 2. Direct smelting will be recognized among stakeholders and incorporated into global strategies to stop the use of mercury. 3. Cooperation between local, national and international partners build capacity locally and in the civil society organisations involved.
Target groups
The target groups are: - the mining community of Tiira, primary the local miners (number of women/men 5/5), who as part of the training-of-trainers program will be able to train their peers in mercury-free goldmining. Additionally, 2 miners (1 man / 1 woman) from each of the mining communities in Mubende and 2 Buhweju will also be trained. - national representatives both politicians and authorities related to the livelihood, health and environmental impact of the ASGM communities. - representatives from international organisations working with the elimination of mercury from ASGM e.g. UNEP, GEF, the Minamata Convention.
Resume
The global mercury pollution continue to rise. Methods for reducing mercury use in artisanal small-scale gold mining are warranted. Diálogos and partners have demonstrated the efficacy of the mercury-free ‘direct smelting’ method in earlier projects and scientific articles, but the method is not part of UNEPs toolbox. The Tiira Summit project mobilize local miners to show international key stakeholders, that ‘direct smelting’ is a viable alternative to the use of mercury. The project includes a training program for miners, overseen by national and international stakeholders. The project culminate in a roundtable meeting - The Tiira Summit. The stakeholders witness how direct smelting can be learned in a short training course and how direct smelting is efficient in yielding gold. In the ‘Tiira Position Paper’ miners and stakeholders make a declaration about pros and cons of including direct smelting in the international strategy to minimize global mercury pollution.