Until October last year, when Canadian gold miner Banro opened its Twangiza mine, there were no large-scale corporate mines in the DRC, with the majority of production being artisanal and small scale. Weak governance, poor security and the fragmented nature of artisanal mining groups make them easy prey for control by armed groups.
It is estimated that around 10% to 15% of newly mined gold comes from artisanal sources.
The WGC standard would act as an industry programme to operationalise the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s guidance on responsible mineral supply from conflict areas.
It would also complement and integrate with other industry-led initiatives, including the London Bullion Market Association’s Responsible Gold Guidance.
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