Can Artisanal Mining in Developing World Countries Help to Raise All Boats?

April 17, 2018 – Daisy Welch has contributed infographics to 21st Century Tech blog, and when she suggested the topic of artisanal mining I was intrigued. If you are not familiar with the term, it refers to informal, small-scale mining operations that can be found in many Developing World countries. Remember the gold rush days in North American history, California, the Klondike, and you can almost visualize the small-stake operations found today, often just outside the boundaries of mining properties run by large companies.

In many countries artisanal mining is unregulated. It is often a danger to the health and well-being of those attempting to eke a living from gathering some gold, diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and other minerals and gems that can be sold to look after the needs of poor families. In that sense artisanal mining plays a critical part in the socio-economic lives of many in Developing World countries.

There are many remaining barriers to improve the lives of artisanal miners and give them a better means to turn subsistence operations into going concerns. The biggest is governments unwilling to license artisanal operations to make them legal. The second biggest is ensuring that artisanal mines are safe for those who operate them.

Take a look at the following infographic that appears on a United Kingdom website called Moneypod. The company offers a variety of short-term loan instruments. It is surprising to me to find an infographic describing this subject from a payday loan provider. Nonetheless, the information provided here about small-scale mining operations and the part they play in the economies of Developing World countries and the lives of their citizens is an eye opener to me and I hope to you, my readers, as well.