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Society Artisanal has successfully exported the first third-party validated, artisanal, conflict-free gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
KINSHASA, CONGO-KINSHASA, November 18, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Society Artisanal, in collaboration with its esteemed partners USAID and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, proudly announces the successful export of the first third-party validated, artisanal, conflict-free, clean gold from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gold was responsibly sourced with Society Artisanal’s Cooperative partner, COMIDEFI, from a site in Fizi territory, South Kivu province, which was certified with the new blue status by the DRC government. It was exported to L’Orfebre Gold Refinery in Andorra. This landmark achievement is the culmination of several years of dedicated effort to de-risk some of the most challenging areas in eastern DRC by the DRC government with support from the USAID-funded Zahabu Safi (“Clean Gold”) project and the Dutch-funded Madini kwa Amani na Maendeleo (“Minerals for Peace and Development”) project.
The success and sustainability of this model are the result of close cooperation with the local administration and traditional chiefs, benefit sharing with local communities and economic partnerships with artisanal mining cooperatives. This effort has been made possible by key players such as the local, provincial and national technical services of the Ministry of Mines: SAEMAPE, CEEC, CAMI, CTCPM and the Division des Mines, including the Secrétariat Général aux Mines, and with the support of provincial and national mining ministers. The Collaboration with the ICGLR via the Madini Project has also been of key importance in this process. The same applies to the multi-stakeholder structures (Comité Provincial de Suivi des Activités Minières “CPS” and all its local branches), where the presence of civil society complemented the roles of the private sector and government in the process. The Madini and Zahabu Safi projects provided technical guidance and support to Society Artisanal and DRC authorities to implement to new blue status of artisanal mines and supported Society Artisanal’s collaboration with due diligence consulting firm Max Impact on risk evaluation and mitigation.
“Society Artisanal is honored to have collaborated with all of these vital partners and looks forward to continuing to prove that investing in DRC and developing mutually beneficial economic models is the best solution to positive outcomes in the Country,” said CEO Jason Clarke. “This successful export demonstrates our commitment to creating sustainable economic opportunities for local communities, while implementing responsible mining practices for enduring mineral supply chains. Society Artisanal takes responsible sourcing seriously and is implementing blockchain traceability with our technology partner, Minespider, in each of our mine sites. Such technology ensures the provenance of all future gold exports. Due to the dedicated work of each of these partners, the future looks bright for DRC and those companies and communities who choose to establish the right foundation.”
Society Artisanal aims to build on the foundational work done in collaboration with trusted partners like USAID and the Government of the Netherlands to maintain a steady supply of clean gold, support local communities, and promote responsible sourcing in the region.
For further information, please contact:
Jason Clarke
CEO
Society Artisanal
contact@societyartisanal.com
Jason Clarke
Society Artisanal
+1 214-205-0246
email us here
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