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Responsible gold
Our commitments on how gold is produced and sold by members, and how we check that they are kept.
Our commitments
No child labour
No one under 18 digs, processes ore, handles mercury or carries loads at member sites. Leaders work with families and local schools so that children of miners stay in school.
No armed groups or forced labour
Members do not pay, supply or sell to armed groups, and do not pay illegal taxes or "protection" money. No one is made to work against their will or to repay debts by force. Any member who learns of such demands can report them safely, anonymously if needed.
Less mercury, and then none
Mercury poisons the people who use it, their families and the rivers downstream. We train members in gravity methods (sluices, shaking tables and careful panning) that recover gold without mercury. Where mercury is still used, we insist on retorts and on keeping it away from homes, children and pregnant women, while we work towards ending its use altogether.
Fair weighing and pricing
Members are encouraged to weigh with checked scales, to see the scale reading themselves, and to have purity and price explained before they agree to a sale. Members keep their own record of every sale.
Anti-bribery
Officers and members neither offer nor accept bribes, including to obtain licences or avoid inspections. Gifts above a small value given to officers are recorded and reported to the committee.
Women and youth
Women do much of the processing work at artisanal sites but are often paid least and heard least. We reserve seats for women on our committees, and make training open to women and young miners.
How we check
Our approach follows the five steps of the OECD due diligence guidance, scaled to an association of small miners:
- Policy. This policy and the code of conduct are adopted by the general assembly and signed by every member.
- Know the site. Focal points report regularly on each area, including any security incidents or illegal demands.
- Respond to risks. Problems are logged, discussed by the committee and followed up. Serious risks lead to suspension of sales from that area until resolved.
- Independent review. We welcome checks by buyers, refiners, government and partners. In 2026, a partner buyer reviewed our member register and risk log for two mining areas. Its findings and our response are in the annual report.
- Report. We publish an annual report on what we found and what we did about it.
Cross-border gold
Gold mined in Uganda is sold only through Ugandan legal channels. Gold mined in DRC is sold only through Congolese legal channels. The association does not move, carry, finance or trade gold across the border, and members who do so lose their membership.
Standards we follow
| Standard | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Uganda Mining and Minerals Act, 2022 | Licensing of artisanal and small-scale mining in Uganda |
| DRC Mining Code (revised 2018) | Artisanal mining zones, cooperatives and trade in DRC |
| ICGLR Regional Certification Mechanism | Regional traceability system for gold in the Great Lakes, which both countries have joined |
| OECD Due Diligence Guidance | The international standard for minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas |
| LBMA Responsible Gold Guidance | What refiners must check before accepting gold |
| Fairmined and Fairtrade gold | Optional certifications that can bring higher prices; a long-term goal for us |
For buyers and refiners
We can share, on request and under agreement:
- our registration documents, constitution and this policy;
- the areas and number of members supplying gold;
- traceability summaries showing where gold came from, without exposing individual miners;
- our risk log and annual due diligence report.
We do not share members' personal details, individual sales or exact site locations.
What we are not
This website is an information and coordination tool. Abamwe Artisanal Miners Association is not a licensed gold dealer and does not itself buy or sell gold. Any sale is between a member and a licensed buyer.