Artisanal mining is a small-scale operation that uses hand tools and methods to mine minerals and gems. It is common in developing countries and can be a source of income for subsistence miners. However, it can also lead to safety and environmental issues due to a lack of oversight and regulations.
Artisanal mining is a type of small-scale mining operation that is not associated with large corporate enterprises. This type of subsistence mining is quite common in the developing world and uses many hand tools and methods that have been employed by prospectors throughout history. Some artisanal mining is undertaken by individuals, although even small-scale mining operations pay people to engage in the same activities. In some cases, seasonal agricultural workers find employment in artisanal mines when there are no crops to harvest, although full-time artisanal miners also exist. Many other economic factors can also lead people to artisanal mining as an alternative way to support themselves.
Unlike large-scale mining operations that use heavy machinery, high explosives, and chemical treatments, artisanal miners typically use more primitive methods. Most of these small-scale mining operations use simple hand tools. Gold panning is an example of artisanal mining that can happen with simple tools and little or no training. About 12% of the world’s annual gold production comes from small-scale artisanal operations, although many other materials are also obtained by these methods.
Minerals such as lithium and coltan are mined using artisanal methods, as are many types of gems. Most of the colored gemstones available on the world market are obtained by artisanal miners because there are very few large-scale mining operations for these precious and semi-precious minerals. Diamonds are also obtained by artisanal miners, although unlike colored gemstones, there are many large-scale diamond mines. One effect of artisanal mining on the colored gemstone market is that it can be difficult or impossible to determine where these gemstones were mined due to the fact that poor and subsistence miners rarely sell direct to wholesalers.
In addition to subsistence miners who use simple hand tools and make a living selling the minerals and gemstones they find, small-scale mining operations can also employ people to perform similar tasks. Some small-scale mining operations also make use of underground mining and processing plants, though often still limited to relatively simple hand tools. Many problems can arise from this type of artisanal mining, such as working conditions in mines and processing plants. In developing countries where these operations are commonly found, there can sometimes be a lack of oversight or regulations which can lead to safety and environmental issues. To help mitigate this problem, several organizations are working to improve conditions for artisanal miners around the world.
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