Formalizing Artisanal Mining in Africa: How PeaceGold’s Congo Initiative Could Redefine Ethical Gold Supply Chains
Formalizing Artisanal Mining in Africa: How PeaceGold’s Congo Initiative Could Redefine Ethical Gold Supply Chains A UK-based social enterprise, PeaceGold , is taking a bold step into one of Africa’s most complex economic and security environments, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo , with a plan to formalize artisanal gold mining and introduce a transparent export system. The initiative is designed to address a long-standing structural problem: the dominance of informal and often illicit gold trade networks that deprive local communities of value while fueling instability. By targeting its first gold exports by September, PeaceGold is attempting to demonstrate that ethical sourcing from conflict-affected regions is not only possible but scalable. At the centre of this effort is founder Greg Valerio , a long-time advocate for fair and traceable mineral supply chains. His approach focuses on building a system that ensures miners are paid fairly, supply chains are ...