Responsible mining and trading

Standards

Moyo Gems works within the existing workforce of independent artisanal miners. Unlike other forms of mining, such as 'large scale mining,' artisanal environments are comprised of loose groups of individuals who work on a part-time or full-time basis. There is no formal 'employer'; all miners are self-employed, typically rural people, and who typically mix farming and mining to derive their income. 

Within this environment, Moyo Gems has piloted the CRAFT standard (Code of Risk-mitigation for ASM engaging in Formal Trade (CRAFT)) on selected sites in Tanga, Tanzania in 2021 as part of an experimental grant supported by the World Bank EGPS Fund. More information about CRAFT is below. Ultimately, Moyo management decided not to make it mandatory for the artisanal miners participating in the program to achieve CRAFT. This is because we believe that CRAFT is overly complex and not suitable for truly artisanal mining environments, particularly with its requirements in  Modules 4 and 5 and with annual reporting. (Most miners in Tanzania were able to satisfy Modules 1-3 only). Instead, Moyo aligns with the OECD DDG Annex 2, a different, more accessible standard. 

What is CRAFT? How does it relate to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance (OECD DDG)? 

The  Code of Risk-mitigation for ASM engaging in Formal Trade (CRAFT) is a  code of progressive compliance for ASM producers. It is also a tool for  buyers to apply due diligence in the sector, with a focus on a  continuous development and improvement. The current CRAFT Code (version  1.0) was released in July 2018.  CRAFT is an open-source  code released under the Creative Commons and may be used by any  stakeholder in the ASM supply chain, as well as by development  organizations, among others.

CRAFT  is closely aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, and  specifically modules (components) 3 and 4 are directly linked to the  risks described the OECD DDG “Annex II.” More information at www.craftmines.org 

(Continue scrolling for traceability information and practice) 

How it works 

As part of their enrollment, we verify all miners' legal status in terms of whether they are working on a valid mining license and if they are over 18 years old. Miners can satisfy this requirement if they are working on a valid individual mining license in their name, if they are working on a valid group mining license (such as one registered under a SACCO/cooperative), or if they complete a 'bridge agreement' that Pact facilitates to demonstrate that the miner has the clear written permission of the valid license holder. After this step, the miner completes the necessary free trainings and they are enrolled into the program! 

These pre-registered, vetted miners are then invited to participate in 'Market Days', where vetted local brokers (local traders) assist for a small fee (5 percent of the sale). All gems sales are voluntary and it is up to the miner whether to sell to the Moyo system or not. The host government monitors this process, as does Pact. From there, once gems are sold, they are logged onto the Provenance Proof blockchain, then put into small gem baggies with the miner number, and sealed as parcels by the government. The duties/taxes are paid by the program exporter and the gemstones are delivered to program trading partners (ANZA Gems,  Nineteen48, and Maison Piat) and then onto you! 

Traceability begins at Market Day 

Gem mining can be unpredictable. One week, there can be a discovery, and the following week, there can be no activity. To save on costs and recognizing this unpredictability, traceability begins at the quarterly program 'Market Days.' 

Moyo Gems has a number of measures to prevent people from selling gems that they did not mine themselves:  

• It's a program rule that participants must be registered miners with the government. This ensures we are working with real miners and who are considered legitimate by the governments. 
• Miners have a track record of sales and large changes or new patterns are quickly noticeable by Pact staff. 
• Critically, there are no phones allowed in the buying room of Market Days. This was instituted early on (on the second Market Day in 2019) to prevent inbound smuggling and has largely stopped the phenomenon. Pact has also taken additional steps to deter the practice. 
• There is no system in the world that is airtight. Moyo Gems program does always gratefully accept recommendations on how to improve.