USAID-funded Commercially Viable, Conflict-free Gold Project
GLOBAL COMMUNITIES
Dec 17, 2018 - Dec 16, 2023; $11,999,691

Seeks to scale-up exports and sales of conflict-free, artisanal gold from eastern DRC by developing market linkages with responsible gold buyers, particularly in North America and Europe. Through these partnerships, the project will deliver a transparent, private-sector co-financed supply chain model for clean artisanal gold which is led by market actors, but will also benefit economically disadvantaged artisanal or small-scale mining communities. Activities will address and remove existing downstream blockages within the artisanal gold supply chain through engagements to support artisanal or small-scale cooperatives, responsible gold wholesale buyers, retailers, insurers, transportation companies and banks. 

USAID Sustainable Mine Site Validation Project
PACT
Dec 24, 2018 - Dec 23, 2022; $3,700,229

Uses an innovation approach to refit and strengthen current methods for mine site validation or Qualification and Validation (Q&V) to better address the long-term viability of clean gold and 3T exports sourced from the DRC. Although functional, the current system for Q&V in DRC is overbuilt, expensive, and requires an unnecessarily complex group of stakeholders led by donors. The new Q&V approach will promote rigorous and transparent traceability of minerals which provides ongoing security analysis and monitoring of mine sites, increases the capacity of Ministry of Mines personnel, and strengthens artisanal or small-scale mining cooperatives to reduce issues like child labor and improve the status of women present in artisanal mine sites. The project will also reduce the overall dependence on donors to manage the Q&V system, enabling new conflict free 3T and gold mine sites to be verified quickly, at less cost, and in better alignment with local needs.