ABSTRACT
Open-cast mining in particular requires large areas of land, determined by the extent of the deposits, and this often leads to large-scale clearing of forests and to the-sometimes compulsory-resettlement of the local inhabitants. However, the traditional way of life of the indigenous population is usually closely linked to the land, the natural water resources and the local flora and fauna. In many places, the reserves of raw materials are already being exploited by artisanal small-scale mining “enterprises” using traditional methods.
