Knowledge that transforms
During a visit that combined technical knowledge with heartfelt connection, Pure Earth Colombia had the privilege of hosting and accompanying a group of Peruvian women miners from the Network of Women Miners of Madre de Dios on a tour through Antioquia. This visit focused on knowledge exchange and training in the identification of contaminated sites. The activity took place as part of the project “Supporting Women Miners’ Sustainable Livelihoods & Restored Environments,” an initiative led by Pure Earth Peru that aims to strengthen sustainable livelihoods for women miners and restore contaminated environments. The visit was made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Wyss Academy for Nature, Pure Earth Peru, and Pure Earth Colombia, whose collaboration enabled this valuable meeting for training, exchange, and empowerment.
From Colombia, Pure Earth’s technical team led training sessions centered on the Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP), a globally-used methodology to locate, assess, and prioritize sites contaminated with hazardous materials, particularly lead and mercury. This component provided concrete tools for the visiting women to identify, assess, and document environmental issues in their mining communities, integrating both scientific and social criteria into their daily work.
Field Training: From technical diagnosis to community transformation
The practical training day included visits to representative sites in the Antioquia region, where participants observed firsthand responsible mining practices, clean technologies, and environmental recovery strategies. The application of TSIP tools—such as the use of the XRF—was key to identifying potential sources of contamination and understanding the impact on human health and ecosystems.
During the tour through Antioquia, members of the Network of Women Miners of Peru visited the Juan Díaz plant in Yalí, where gravity concentration techniques are used to recover gold without mercury, employing equipment such as shaking tables and spirals to optimize mineral separation. At Mina Quintana (Remedios), they observed the use of ball mills and responsible cyanidation processes under environmental standards, complemented by closed-loop systems to prevent water contamination. Additionally, in the Río Rayo project (Tarazá), they witnessed the integration of mining with sustainable agriculture, including practices such as revegetation of intervened areas and the development of an economic diversification strategy for the sector. These experiences reinforced the feasibility of technical alternatives to mercury, such as the use of centrifugal concentrators and froth flotation, which participants can adapt in their own regions.
This approach allowed the women from the Network not only to observe best practices on the ground but also to begin strengthening their abilities to replicate similar processes in Peru. The contaminated sites identification component, led by Pure Earth Colombia, thus became a bridge between technical knowledge and community action.
Beyond technical learning: Empowerment and networks
The visit also highlighted a fundamental element: organization and collective empowerment as drivers of transformation. Many of the participants, who were leaving their country for the first time, shared experiences with Colombian women “barequeras,” generating a valuable exchange of realities, challenges, and solutions. This connection between women miners from different contexts emphasized the importance of networks in building resilient communities in the face of the environmental and social challenges faced by mining territories.
The exchange also delved into strategies to diversify the mining economic matrix, linking activities such as geomining tourism, the production of construction materials from mining waste, and agroforestry in rehabilitated areas. The women analyzed successful cases where artisanal mining has been integrated into sustainable value chains, such as responsible gold marketing.
Pure Earth emphasized the importance of integrated approaches that combine environmental remediation (soil bioremediation using metal-accumulating plants), energy efficiency (use of renewable energy in mining operations), and gender equity, under standards such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This model not only reduces dependence on mercury but also strengthens climate resilience and social inclusion, demonstrating that mining can be a driver of sustainable development when aligned with technical knowledge and community participation.
At Pure Earth Colombia, we celebrate this meeting as an example of the power of collaboration among women, institutions, and territories. Strengthening technical capacities, along with cultural and organizational exchange, creates a solid foundation for environmental restoration and female leadership in artisanal and small-scale mining.
We will continue working so that more women become agents of environmental change, bringing knowledge to their communities and contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future.
