Mercury pollution in Colombia: challenges to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining in the light of the Minamata Convention

The Minamata Convention on Mercury, which entered into full force in August 2017, was signed by more than 100 countries, including several where artisanal and small-scale gold mining is practised, such as Brazil, China, Ecuador, Ghana, Peru and Colombia. Focused on Colombia, the country that likely faces the most difficult challenges to implement this convention, this paper discusses the extent of mercury pollution in the water sources of the country and the barriers Colombia must overcome to comply with the Minamata Convention. Many of these same barriers are also present in other countries impacted by artisanal and small-scale gold mining.