The nature of artisanal and small scale mining of precious metals differs from region to region around the world. Artisanal means traditional, often long practised, manual mining. Small scale means that mechanical or semi-mechanical machinery is being used. Both small scale or artisanal miners often organise into cooperatives or similar community based enterprises.
The table below shows estimated annual gold asm production ranked by zone across each continent:
Formal or regulated ASM activity cannot easily be separated from informal or illegal ASM activity. Additionally, illicit gold trading takes place between regions and countries, linked to artisanal and small scale mining. This is especially true in the Amazon, the Andes, sub Saharan Africa and South-east Asia.
ASM gold mining is not the same as illegal gold mining. ASM is legal and promoted in many countries, however, ASM mining is often given a bad name via association with illegal gold mining.
For a fuller understanding refer to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime website. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has a similar page here. Unfortunately, criminals are drawn to all levels of gold mining and trading as it provides an efficient way to to launder money and escape government scrutiny.
ASM Zones
The major zones associated with ASM gold production are located in the tropics. The tropics consist of three distinct equatorial regions, namely: the northern part of South America, sub Saharan Africa and South-east Asia.
Artisanal and small scale mining (ASM) often takes place in regions with porous borders and low levels of formal governance.
Within each continent, the major ASM zones are:
- Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America in North America,
- South America: the Andes and Amazon
- West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Madagascar in Africa
- Indonesia and the Philippines in Asia (excl. China)
- Papua New Guinea in Oceania
Outside of the tropics, Russia, Mongolia and China are have high levels of small scale mine activity.
Estimating ASM Production
ASM production numbers are based on identifying regions where ASM activity is taking place, and estimating production numbers using the available research on that region. Production is split into artisanal and small scale mining.
Artisanal (traditional/non mechanical) mining is impacted by local considerations, especially (1) local ASM zone’s working age population, (2) price of gold and (3) access and availability to the mining locations, (4) type of mining (alluvial/hard rock) and the grade of ore, (5) alternative employment options and (6) government regulation of mining activity.
Small scale mining (semi-mechanical) factors in another consideration, which is the ability to access finance and machinery.