ABSTRACT
Despite its importance as an economic activity and livelihood strategy in sub-Saharan Africa, artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is associated with many negative social, environmental and health impacts, and presents particular sustainable development challenges.
Numerous universities, NGOs, associations, companies, and governments are working to resolve the many challenges created by ASM. These challenges include lack of formalization and regulation, poor environmental practices, health and safety risks, child and forced labor, inequitable distribution of benefits, security issues, and conflicts with large-scale mining, among many others.
This chapter documents approaches to working with the ASM sector in sub-Saharan Africa to promote economic development, effective governance, protection and rehabilitation of the environment, and health and safety.
The study draws primarily on an analysis of work plans focused on ASM developed by officials from developing countries who undertook capacity-building courses sponsored by the Australian Government through its Australia Awards program and the former International Mining for Development Centre. It also draws on interviews with key stakeholders in the ASM sector and is supplemented by a literature review.
