Oro Verde® - Facilitating Market Access for Artisan Miners

Providing certification to the environmentally and socially responsible gold and platinum production
Biodiversity
Colombia

Since 2000, Oro Verde® reverses environmental degradation, caused by uncontrolled mining in the Chocó Bioregion by developing certified responsible mining practices. The partnership, consisting of a national NGO and three grassroots organisations, has created the basis for the world’s first local certification scheme for precious metals and has propelled a worldwide fair-trade movement around responsible small-scale mining. The artisanal miners who extract the gold and platinum comply with strict ecological standards. 

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Oro Verde® protects world’s biodiversity by fostering the sustainable use of natural resources and provides the mining communities with alternatives to diversify their income.
  • Empowering communities through helping them to use, protect and gain control over their territory.
  • Contributing to the improved working and living conditions by certifying compliance to the social, economic, environmental and labour standards.  
  • Preserving the world’s biodiversity reservoir by fostering the sustainable use of natural resources between the mining communities.
  • Protecting the miners and the tropical rainforest as it does not require the use of or cyanide. 
  • Providing communities with alternatives to diversify their income.
  • Organising training sessions to improve the managerial skills of the community members.

 

Partners

A national NGO and local community associations are engaged in an initiative to reverse environmental degradation and social exclusion produced by illegal and uncontrolled mechanized mining. A mining certification process and capacity building program have been created. More than 700 artisan mines are now following social and environmental criteria.

AMICHOCÓ strengthens and formalises the producer groups; develops new markets; and connects the local miners with national and international partners.

The Community Councils of Tadó and Condoto, ASOCASAN and COCOMACOIRO represent the local mining communities; supervise, guide and coordinate ground activities; participate in decision-making processes; and co-own the Oro Verde Brand.

FUNDAMOJARRAS supports the Community Councils and co-owns the Oro Verde Brand.