ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of artisanal and small-scale mining in developing countries and the social, environmental, and economic issues associated with it. It focuses on artisanal and small-scale mining in developing countries that use the most basic methods for extraction and processing. Artisanal and small-scale mining also contributes to the livelihoods of people other than miners, their dependants, and the local economy. Many miners do not complete the processing themselves but instead sell the ore to intermediaries, who concentrate it and transport the products to market. Women play a relatively small part in large-scale mining but are frequently involved in smaller-scale operations. Child labour, in mining as in other forms of work, is rooted in poverty. The form of mining will depend on the location of the ore: whether it has to be mined underground, can be reached via an open hole in the ground, or is available as an alluvial deposit in rivers or streams.
