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Small-scale mining In November 2005 a project financed by Geocenter Copenhagen on the environmental and socio-economic aspects of small-scale gold mining in Tanzania was initiated. The project is a collaboration between human geographers from the Department of Geography and Geology at University of Copenhagen and the Geolo - gi cal Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). In this article, the concept of small-scale mining is introduced together with its use and global distribution. Small-scale mining is a form of low technology mining widespread in developing countries. This form of mining is, with very few exceptions, practised by poor people. For millions of people it is a way of putting food on the table and only in very rare cases does it make people rich. The International Labour Union estimates that about 100 million people depend on small-scale mining. Of these, 20 million are directly involved in the mining, five million of whom are women and children. The number of small-scale miners is increasing. For instance, in 1995, there were no small-scale miners in Mongolia. Ten years later there were more than 100,000. What is Small-scale Mining ? In a nutshell, small-scale mining can be described as three men and a wheelbarrow. However, the concept covers a wide field. From individuals, groups or families using hammers and chisels to work their way into the rock and find gold, to operations or cooperatives with several hundred miners using semi-mechanised methods to exploit the ore deposits. The number of small-scale miners varies greatly from continent to continent. In Europe and North America hardly any small-scale mining exists, while it is widespread in Asia, Africa and South America. Small-scale mining has existed for thou - s ands of years. One of the oldest stories about small-scale mining is the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece. For many years, people did not know how to interpret the legend. However, in ‘De re metallica’ (the Nature of Metals), pub- ........................... 2 NO. 2 2007 Photo: D.F. Pedersen
Global distribution of small-scale mining. Data from the 1990s. Source: A.J. Gunson. (http://www.casmsite.org/regional.html) Women are also involved in small-scale mining. Peter W. U. Appel ....................................................... Senior research scientist, GEUS (pa@geus.dk) Jesper Bosse Jønsson ....................................................... Ph.D. fellow Department of Geography and Geology University of Copenhagen (jbj@geogr.ku.dk) ........................... NO. 2 2007 3
Page 1: Small-scale gold mining in developi
Page 5 and 6: A gold digger chiselling a gold-bea
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Page 9 and 10: The differences between small- and
Page 11 and 12: Gold ore is hoisted from a 50 m dee
Page 13 and 14: Most of the gold buyers in Dar es S
Page 15 and 16: Photos: J.B. Jønsson, Department o
Page 17 and 18: Photo: D.F. Pedersen. Photo: J. B.
Page 19 and 20: failed to involve the gold miners s

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