Mercury project in Ecuador & Peru

Implementing integrated measures for minimizing mercury releases from ASGM

The objective of the project is to protect human health and the environment by implementing integrated measures aimed at minimizing mercury releases from ASGM activities affecting the transboundary Puyango – Tumbes River Basin in the south of Ecuador and north of Peru.

The project aims to achieve this objective through:

  • The transfer of technologies and technical assistance to support mercury reduction and sound tailings management
  • An environmental monitoring programme in the Puyango & Tumbes river basins
  • Increase knowledge of health risks related to mercury
  • Promote fair-trade and fairmined gold certification
  • Increase capacity to implement the upcoming international mercury treaty

This is a GEF funded, multi-focal area (Chemical and International Waters) project. The main national counterparts are the National Institute of Geology, Mining and Mineralogy (INIGEMM) in Ecuador & the Ministry of Environment in Peru.

Additional project information:

The project initiated activities in November 2012 with the Inception Workshop. A summary of the workshop can be found (in Spanish) at this link.

For more information about our project site in Peru click here for a video prepared by the GEF Secretariat.