On November 17, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) will hold the launch seminar for the project “National Action Plan for Mercury-Free Gold Extraction”, which will meet Brazil’s commitment under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The event will present the main aspects of the project, which aims at a more sustainable and safer production for human health and the environment, and will have a special focus on technical alternatives to the use of mercury.
Adopted by 128 signatories, including Brazil, the Minamata Convention has as its goal the maximum restriction of mercury use and the incentive to adopt alternatives, protecting the environment and people.
One of the obligations set out in the international agreement is the development and implementation of a national action plan to eliminate this practice or drastically reduce the release of the toxic metal into the environment, through the adoption of best practices and techniques.
Recognizing that artisanal and small-scale gold mining is significant and that it has sensitive and concerning social and environmental aspects, as does other countries in the Amazon Basin, Brazil intends to present its action plan by 2025.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Foundation for the Technological Development of Engineering and the Research Center for Responsible Small Mining at the University of São Paulo.
The project was prepared in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme and will be financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Agenda of the event
8:30 am | Opening of the registration (previous confirmation of presence required)
9:30 am | Welcome and start of the live broadcast
9:45 am – Opening table: presentation of the project’s objectives and importance
11h | Break – with presentation of contextualization videos
11:30am | Presentation: description of the governance, work orientation, and activities planned for the project
12:30 pm – Questions and answers
1:30 pm | Closing Ceremony
The event will be broadcasted by MME’s YouTube.
