Problem overview:

     Awareness and visions: Gem mining activities in Sri Lanka is increasing according to the growing demands. However, a great concern is on whether the large-scale mining methods are environmentally sustainable or not.

Background in summary:

     Gem mining method in Sri Lanka is kept traditional and unique: Sri Lanka has been famous from time immemorial for the great variety and abundance of gem minerals. The secret of the sustenance of the gem mining industry for well over 2500 years rests on the unique traditional mining methods.

     Gem mining brings income to the poor and the country: There are nearly 30,000 to 40,000 thousand gem pits being operated annually which provides additional income to nearly 150,000 people per mining season. Most of the labor involved in the gemming industry is from low income groups while their efforts contribute to nearly 60% of the total income from mineral exploitation in Sri Lanka.

     There are 2 common mining methods. One is pitting: Pitting shafts are made to reach levels from 10 to 12 feet of pay gravel exist. Tunnels are made to collect the pay gravel around the base. Walls are structured with timber species that resist water rot and fern. Pits are generally confined to marshy terrain and paddy lands. Flooding is the main hazard in pit mining and the workers of the present day generally use water pumps to dewater.

     The other is riverbed mining: Gems are also mined from riverbed material by using suction pumps for extraction of riverbed gravel for gems. Much harm can be done to riverbank stability by removal of gravel thus undermining the banks because there is no control of the operation. It is doubtful as to whether the fully mechanized methods will be practicable and sustainable for to the gem fields of Sri Lanka.

     Gem mining is becoming large-scale and unsustainable to the environment and livelihood of people: Allocation of large tracts of land or river will deprive the people of the mining community of their opportunities of livelihood and the possible life time chances of alleviating their poverty through gemming activity in such terrain. The withholding of accessibility to potential gem fields where the commoner has interests can lead to unrest and increase the unemployment problem.

Peer Review Committee Good practice rating: (1 for the best, 5 for the lowest score)
Sustainability		Efficiency
2	Improvement in either the environment of economic condition with no harm to the other.	1	Cost efficient.
1	Sustainable over time (not one-off)	Process
Adaptability		4	Participation of the community
4	Location adaptability (can the project be done in other places?)	4	Participation of resource owners/users
2	Socio-cultural adaptability.	2	Partnerships between various actors (Governments, NGO, Academia, Private)
3	Level of development adaptability.	-	Degree of coordination and cooperation between government departments.
2	Style of government adaptability.	2	Ability to attract political interest/support
3	Degree of decentralization adaptability.	-	Procedures for feedback and review.
Comments on this example: Indigenous gem mining is one method that could be proved sustainable through time. Local gem miners have been practicing the same method for 2000 years and since the beginning until now, no major adverse impacts have been reported. Currently, supplies from indigenous gem mining are balancing the demands. If large-scale gem mining were conducted, problems of over-supply and decreasing market price would inevitably arise. The major problem for small-scale gem mining is the lack of financial resource, unless the are middle men to finance the excavation or villagers join forces to set cooperatives. Also, the government is reluctant to write out concessions for small-scale gem miners as compared to the larger ones. In Sri Lanka, gem-mining activities go under the Gem Mining Act. However, regulations under the Gem Mining Act have not been revised by the Geological survey and Mining Bureau, which is an institutional body that analyses the environmental implications of each regulation. Fortunately, the government of Sri Lanka has already declared that for any proposed projects, the Environmental Impact Assessment is mandatory. Suggestions are that the Geological Survey and Mining Bureau should be involved in the formulation process of regulations under the Gem Mining Act also. Table: Advantages and disadvantages of large-scale and small-scale gem mining in summary.       Large-scale Gem mining Small-scale Gem mining Advantages The government prefers to grant concessions to large-scale gem mining operations Also, large-scale operations are entrusted to bank loans. Gem mining activities are kept in one area, hence, environment monitoring and control are simpler in practice. Farmers would have an alternative income source by mining during the non-paddy season or when conditions are too arid to farm. Disadvantages Property acquisition has always been a problem due to expensive land prices. Landowners would raise the price of their land as soon as they know that their land will be purchased for gem mining. At the standpoint of sustainability, large-scale gem mining could be considered unsustainable in terms of labor because man will be replaced by heavy machinery. Financial resource constraint. Difficulty in requesting for bank loans approvals. Not given priority by the government to receive mining concession. Small-scale gem mining sites in Sri Lanka are scattered throughout the country resulting difficulties for monitoring and control. In addition, the transformation from small-scale to large-scale gem mining will apparently cause negative effects on the livelihood of the local gem miners. Therefore, the government should consider including the local people (or their representatives) in the decision making process and include community hearing in the EIA. Sustainability of the project:   Adaptability of the project to other situations:       The degree of adaptability of this example is regardless of the style and degree of decentralization of the government. While location, sector and probably cultural characteristics are specific to just this case. Process of decision making and implementation:   Cost efficiency: