Heterogeneity and labour agency
Sara Geenen and Divin-Luc Bikubanya used InForMining data for the article Heterogeneity and Labour Agency in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo that was published in Development and Change. On 17 June they presented this article in a seminar at the University of Antwerp, in the AIPRIL series.
InforMining conference in Peru
In September 2022 the InForMining team, together with its partner ISPEMI (Instituto de Investigaciones en Pequeña Minerí) organized a series of consultations in La Rinconada mine. The InForMining research results were communicated to local stakeholders, including miners, cooperatives and local authorities. On 29 September ISPEMI at the Universidad Nacional del Altiplano hosted a public event on "A qué retos se enfrenta la minería de oro informal en Perú?Lecciones aprendidas de La Rinconada, Puno". Maria Eugenia Robles presented the project results online, and key stakeholders in the different mines commented on the key findings. ISPEMI researchers also presented their own research projects, funded by VLIR-UOS. Participants then discussed about the research findings in small groups, and formulated recommendations on issues like health and safety, access to finance and formalization. More pictures on the Facebook page.
In April 2022 the InForMining team, together with its partners in the Philippines (Bantay Kita and Fr. Saturnino Urios University) organized a series of workshops in Diwalwal, Rosario and Tboli. The InForMining research results were communicated to local stakeholders, including miners, cooperatives and local authorities. They also discussed about the research findings in small groups, and formulated recommendations on issues like health and safety, access to finance and formalization. On 21 April we hosted a hybrid public event on "Improving labour conditions in artisanal and small-scale gold mining : lessons from Mindanao, the Philippines". Maria Eugenia Robles and Boris Verbrugge presented the project results online, and key stakeholders in the different mines commented on the key findings.
InForMining conference in the Philippines
On 12 November 2021 the InForMining team organized a public event on artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sara Geenen presented the InForMining project results. Other research from VLIR-UOS and FWO-EOS projects was also presented. In the afternoon, participants discussed in small groups and formulated recommendations on issues such as health and safety, formalization, and social security. Participants came from different mining sites all over South Kivu province, and from Bukavu. All presentations, the programme and a summary report can be found on the conference website.
InForMining conference in DRCongo
From 9 April to 7 May 2022, CEGEMI and photographer Robert Carrubba organised an exhibition called “Creuseurs de rêves”, at the Institut Français in Bukavu. At the opening event, different CEGEMI studies on the socio-economic life of the miners were presented, among other based on InForMining findings.
Exhibition Creuseurs des rêves: opening
Exhibition Creuseurs des rêves: closing
On 17 February 2022 Sara Geenen was invited by Al Jazeera English’ The Stream to discuss the Seven Grams project. The key messages are based on InForMining findings : 1. Working conditions in DRCongo mines remain poor despite years of supply chain regulation, 2. There are no quick fixes to labour exploitation in global supply chains: cheap labour is not just a leak in the water pipe. It is the force that makes the water running through the pipes, 3. Stop or reduce the sourcing from DRCongo is not a solution! (as long as miners have no alternative income generation) It kills miners just as much as mining accidents, 4. Not all violence is due to armed group presence & armed groups don’t depend on mining only.
Al Jazeera The Stream: is our hunger for technology dooming DRCongo?
On 17 July 2021 Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa was invited by the local government of Marmato to present the topic “Regulación como estrategia de solución? Trazabilidad del comercio informal de oro en Colombia” at their annual event of “Marmatólogos” in a podcast format.
In August 2021 Sara Geenen, together with Nik Stoop, participated in “Weet-ns-hapjes”, a summer programme of the University of Antwerp. They talked about mineral supply chains in the DRCongo, and their impact on livelihoods and labour conditions. Watch the video here.
From the mines in Eastern DRCongo to the technology in our smartphones
In July 2021 Maria Eugenia Robles contributed to this article in National Geographic Magazine on La Rinconada.
On 7 May 2021 Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa was invited to an interview on a live broadcast for an internet Tv network in Peru (Canal 1). She spoke about how people in the mining area of La Rinconada have been affected by the pandemic.
Interview on Covid-19 impact in La Rinconada
In May 2021 Sara Geenen was invited by the NGO Justice et Paix to talk at an event about labour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. You can find the presentation here.
In September 2020 Reuters reported on the horrible collapse of a gold mine in Kamituga. Sara Geenen commented on work conditions in these mines. She stressed that deplorable working conditions should not be a reason to stop sourcing from ASM, but on the contrary to support it and invest more in protective equipment.
In July 2020 Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa created a social sciences oriented podcast “Deconstructing”, aiming to launch discussions about sociological, anthropological, political and environmental issues with different participants, primarily PhD candidates from social sciences careers in different universities around the world. Available on Spotify, iTunes and Soundcloud.
In June 2020 we organized an online book launch for Global Gold Production Touching Ground, edited volume by Boris Verbrugge and Sara Geenen. You can find the presentation here.
On 12 March 2019 Boris Verbrugge and Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa presented at a symposium on ICT supply chains, organized by CATAPA in Brussels.
Academic presentations
Seminar IOB. June 2021 : An in-depth study of informalization in global gold mining: evidence from the Philippines, Peru and the DRCongo (Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa, Boris Verbrugge and Sara Geenen)
LASA Conference. May 2021: The local dynamics of dirty gold. Observing labor and trade relations in illicit gold commercialization of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in Peru and Colombia (Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa)
Seminar De La Salle University Philippines. May 2021: Does formalization make a difference in small-scale mining? (Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa, Boris Verbrugge and Sara Geenen)
Conference Sustainability. February 2021: The gold supply chain does not exist (Sara Geenen)
Seminar Université Catholique de Bukavu. December 2019 (Sara Geenen)
AAA and CASCA Conference 20-24 November 2019: Colombia: Legal Loopholes behind Illegal Gold Trade (Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa)
CEDLA Amsterdam, 4 October 2019: Agency, labor relations and gold sale in small scale gold mining. Differences and similarities from Peru and Colombia (Maria Eugenia Robles Mengoa)
ASA Conference Norwhich. September 2019: Structural reflections about 'sustainable gold' (Boris Verbrugge)
ECAS Basel. June 2019: Panel on Capital and Labour in Extractive Industries (Sara Geenen)
ASM Workshop at IOB. 6-7 December 2018 : introduction, structural trends in global gold mining, informalization in large-scale mining (Boris Verbrugge and Sara Geenen)
In November 2018 Sara Geenen co-organized a conference on Development Policies and Practices in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. She presented her work on informalization in large-scale mining. You can find the presentation here.
ASM Conference Zambia. September 2018: Organizational complexities and the pitfalls of formalization (Boris Verbrugge)