Artisanal Gold mining in Las juntas de Abangares, Costa Rica: Approaches and barriers to achieving sustainability objectives

Abstract

Gold has been mined in the area surrounding the small town of Las Juntas de Abangares in Northwestern Costa Rica for over 100 years. Originally through large-scale foreign-based industrial mining operations, now gold is exclusively mined and processed by local, artisanal small-scale gold miners. With the increasing price of gold and the lack of alternative income generating activities over the past 20 years now more than 400 families in this region depend on artisanal gold mining as their only source of income. In this paper, I explore historical and current practices; and opportunities and barriers to achieving sustainability objectives regarding this mining activity within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. Potential policy, technical, and community development efforts that protect the environment and public health while maintaining or improving income generation for this impoverished community are explored. These include the introduction of mercury-free processing techniques that also increase yield, the formation of cooperatives, vertical integration and product development, the development of gold related tourism, and sustainability certification programs.