Artisanal mining

An artisanal miner or small-scale miner (ASM) is a subsistence miner who is not officially employed by a mining company, but works independently, mining various minerals or panning for gold using their own resources. Small-scale mining includes enterprises or individuals that employ workers for mining, but generally using manually-intensive methods, working with hand tools. An artisanal miner or small-scale miner (ASM) is a subsistence miner who is not officially employed by a mining company, but works independently, mining various minerals or panning for gold using their own resources. Small-scale mining includes enterprises or individuals that employ workers for mining, but generally using manually-intensive methods, working with hand tools. Artisanal miners often undertake the activity of mining seasonally – for example crops are planted in the rainy season, and mining is pursued in the dry season. However, they also frequently travel to mining areas and work year round. There are four broad types of ASM: permanent artisanal mining, seasonal (annually migrating during idle agriculture periods), rush-type (massive migration, pulled often by commodity price jumps), and shock-push (poverty-drive, following conflict or natural disasters). ASM is an important socioeconomic sector for the rural poor in many developing nations, many of whom have few other options for supporting their families. Over 90% of the world's mining workforce are ASM. There are an estimated 40.5 million men, women and children directly engaged in ASM, from over 80 countries in the global south. 20% of the global gold supply is produced by the ASM sector, as well as 80% of the global gemstone and 20% of global diamond supply, and 25% of global tin production. More than 150 million depend on ASM for their livelihood. 70 - 80% of small-scale miners are informal, and approximately 30% are women, although this ranges in certain countries and commodities from 5% to 80%. In September, 2018, over 500 delegates from more than 70 countries gathered in Livingstone, Zambia for the International Conference on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining and Quarrying (ASM18). The enormous potential of the sector was discussed in 36 workshops, highlighting ASM's ability to reduce poverty, interlock with agricultural livelihoods, and stimulate jobs, markets and wealth creation in rural communities, as well as national economic growth through taxation and exports of raw and value-added minerals. A key output was the signing of the Mosi-oa-Tunya Declaration on ASM and Quarrying, which reaffirms the central role of ASM for 'enhanced livelihoods, employment creation, poverty reduction and sustainable development'. As one delegate said of the conference: 'Making these visions a reality will take time, and much change still needs to happen at all levels of governance in the process of formalization. But with the voices of artisanal and small-scale miners finally engaged in international policy dialogues, and especially those of women, there is hope that in five years' time, a formalized, government-supported and socially, economically and environmentally productive ASM sector will have started to emerge.' Artisanal mining can include activities as simple as panning for gold in rivers, to as complex as development of underground workings and small-scale processing plants. In any of these circumstances, issues can stem from difficulties in achieving regulatory oversight of a large number of small operations (including issues such as security of land tenure for artisanal miners, to enforcement of environment, safety standards, and labour standards). As a result, child labour and a large number of fatal accidents have been reported in artisanal mines (especially coal mines, gold mines, stone mines). To improve the situation of small-scale miners, organising them in cooperatives and certifying gold may be helpful, write the scientists Pedro Morazán and Marie Müller in the magazine D+C Development and Cooperation. Globally, artisanal mining contributes 17% - 20%, or between 380 - 450 tonnes of annual gold production. This gold input is equally a significant contribution to both the international gold industry and the economy for a given community. The 400% rise in the price of gold from 2002 (US $274/oz) 2012 (US $1230/oz) appears to be reflected as an increasing number of miners undertaking this occupation. In order to maximize the positive impact of ASM, it must be formalized, responsible and well governed. The majority of miners worldwide do not have legal title, and oftentimes the regulatory frameworks for national mining policy work to exclude or restrict ASM practices. Mineral rights for ASM are required, including the right to transfer and upgrade mineral concessions, rights to successive permit renewals and exclusivity, access to land for exploration, extraction and processing, access to markets and access to government agencies to support a responsible ASM legal environment. Globally, an average of 30% of ASM are women. While this is a much higher percentage than the large-scale mining (LSM) sector, where less than 10% of mining employees are female, there are many challenges facing women in ASM. Digging, crushing ore, and other extraction tasks are exhausting dangerous work, and yet as the primary livelihood for millions of women, they continue to go to mining sites even while pregnant and nursing young children. Women have reduced access to mining resources, including land, finance, and tools. Women in mining networks have slowly grown over the years, but much remains to support them. Empowering women, building solidarity,and supporting national associations will ensure that rights are respected and women gain better opportunities and access to improving livelihoods