Pilot Project for the Rehabilitation of Mined-Out Areas at Compagnie Kreek

In October 2025, a pilot project for the rehabilitation of mined-out areas at Compagnie Kreek was launched. The project is implemented by the Dutch engineering firm TAUW B.V. and the Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) in partnership with the EMSAGS Project.

The objective of this pilot project is to restore mined-out areas so that they can once again be used by the local community, while simultaneously generating knowledge on sustainable soil restoration. Compagnie Kreek, located in the district of Brokopondo, was selected as the project site within the EMSAGS Project area.

As part of this initiative, field activities were carried out at Compagnie Kreek from 2 to 13 February 2026.

During these activities, approximately 3,000 m³ of soil was moved and about 1 hectare of land was rehabilitated. Part of the terrain was levelled and elevated to make it usable again for the community. In addition, the creek was given more space and drainage channels were improved to strengthen rainwater runoff. The water level in the former mining pit dropped by approximately two meters and is now connected to the creek, eliminating stagnant water.

On approximately 0.3 hectares of the site, an agroforestry plot will be developed over the coming years. This will be established and managed by CELOS in collaboration with women from the Compagnie Kreek community.

Furthermore, 20 experimental plots have been established within the project area, where five different soil improvement methods are being tested. This research will continue in the coming years under the supervision of CELOS to determine which rehabilitation methods are the most effective.

The knowledge and experience gained from this project will be used to develop a practical guideline for the rehabilitation of abandoned artisanal and small-scale gold mining sites, with a focus on agriculture and forest restoration. A draft of this guideline was presented on 5 February 2026 to approximately 25 representatives of different stakeholder groups during a workshop.

The guidelines are currently being further refined based on experiences from Compagnie Kreek and feedback from stakeholders. A final workshop is scheduled for August 2026, during which participants will visit the project site, and the first official version of the guidelines will be presented.

The rehabilitation plan was developed in collaboration with representatives of the Compagnie Kreek community, CELOS, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), and the Dutch engineering firm TAUW. The field operations were carried out by HAUKES N.V.