EPRM Conference: Balancing Interests – The Role of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in Responsible and Resilient Mineral Supply Chains

How can ASM contribute to responsible and reliable value chains, and how can the different interests along the supply chain be balanced? These questions were at the heart of the EPRM conference in Amsterdam.

“Artisanal and small-scale mining is not charity, it is a business.”

Keynote speech by Chiedza Chipangura (International Council for Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining)

With this clear message, Zimbabwean small-scale miner Chiedza Chipangura opened the conference “Balancing Interests: ASM’s Role in Reliable and Responsible Value Chains” of the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM) on 9 June in Amsterdam. The event marked the 10-year anniversary of the EPRM and brought together more than 220 representatives from the private sector, governments, and civil society.

Since 2020, Germany has been a member of the EPRM through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Accordingly, German participation at the conference was at a high level: at the opening session, Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Bärbel Kofler discussed together with Dr. Mubita Luwabelwa, Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the importance of artisanal and small-scale mining in mineral supply chains and economic perspectives in resource-rich regions.

High-level panel discussion on the topic: Shaping reliable and responsible mineral value chains - aligning different stakeholder perspectives on responsible ASM integration

Kofler emphasised the close link between responsible mineral extraction and resilient supply chains: “Only when mining is responsible are the resulting supply chains reliable and resilient.”

The discussions at the conference made clear that this challenge is becoming increasingly important considering rising global demand for minerals and growing geopolitical uncertainties. Companies along the value chain – from the upstream in resource-producing countries, through the midstream, to the downstream in market countries – as well as governments and local mining communities pursue different interests that need to be balanced. The central question therefore was: how can supply chains be structured in a way that ensures security of supply while also promoting social and environmental standards?

Session on: Building equity: Advancing gender-responsive due diligence in ASM

A particular strength of the event was the strong inclusion of representatives from artisanal and small-scale mining. Miners from Africa, Asia, and Latin America brought their perspectives directly into the discussions. This direct participation of those at the beginning of supply chains highlighted that sustainable solutions can only be developed through dialogue among all stakeholders. The conference thus underscored a core principle of EPRM: adequate representation of ASM actors and a genuine multi-stakeholder approach are essential to building responsible, inclusive, and long-term viable mineral supply chains.

Outlook by Lisa Süß (European Partnership for Responsible Minerals)