Publication

This report approaches the issue of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). It approaches the topic along with other related issues on the global agenda from the environmental perspective, specifically from a mercury reduction perspective, which in 1992 had been the entry point for the involvement of the Swiss Development Agency (SDC) in the ASM sector. The paper aims for systematizing the experiences and observations SDC-funded projects in the ASM sector, and lessons learned during the 20 years of its work, drawing mainly on experiences from projects in Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Mongolia.