{"id":5819,"date":"2026-02-28T06:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-02-28T06:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/?p=5819"},"modified":"2026-03-05T14:41:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T14:41:31","slug":"mining-with-a-human-face-formalising-the-artisanal-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/mining-with-a-human-face-formalising-the-artisanal-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Mining with a Human Face: Formalising the Artisanal Sector"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"1,1\"><span class=\"citation-215\">The global mineral economy relies heavily on a sector that is often misunderstood and overlooked: <\/span><span class=\"citation-215\">Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM)<\/span><\/span>. <span data-path-to-node=\"1,5\"><span class=\"citation-214\">Far from being a niche activity, ASM directly employs <\/span><span class=\"citation-214\">45 million people<\/span><span class=\"citation-214\"> worldwide, with an estimated <\/span><span class=\"citation-214\">315 million people<\/span><span class=\"citation-214\"> benefiting from the industry indirectly<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"1,7\">. <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"1,9\"><span class=\"citation-213\">Despite its massive scale, the sector faces a critical hurdle in finding viable paths for small miners to enter the legal mainstream<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"1,11\">.<\/span><\/p><div class=\"03bb5c02e2f58c6bb7f372bc13011e34\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size:10px;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ZXZ -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3054782407\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br><br \/>\n<\/div>\n\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\"><span data-path-to-node=\"2,1\"><span class=\"citation-212\">At the <\/span><span class=\"citation-212\">Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026<\/span><span class=\"citation-212\">, industry leaders and policymakers gathered to debate how to bring this &#8220;lived reality&#8221; into the formal economy while ensuring it can coexist with large-scale operations<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"2,3\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"4\"><\/h3>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"4\">A Personal Perspective on ASM<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\"><span data-path-to-node=\"5,1\"><span class=\"citation-211\">For many, like <\/span><span class=\"citation-211\">Ntokozo Nzimande<\/span><span class=\"citation-211\"> of South Africa\u2019s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), ASM is not an academic concept but a childhood memory of grandmothers digging for coal to sell in local villages<\/span><\/span>. <span class=\"citation-210\">Nzimande clarified a common misconception: <\/span><span class=\"citation-210\">ASM is not illegal mining<\/span>. <span data-path-to-node=\"5,9\"><span class=\"citation-209\">Instead, it is a survival-based activity that requires a clear regulatory path to help miners &#8220;graduate&#8221; into junior miners and join the mainstream<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"5,11\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\">South Africa is addressing this through:<\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"7\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,0,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"7,0,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,0,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-208\">Legislative Amendments:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-208\"> Updating the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"7,0,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-207\">Licensing Systems:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-207\"> Implementing a new Artisanal Mining Licensing System that allows miners to acquire permits for three-year periods, with options for renewal<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"7,1,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"8\">Global Models for Formalisation<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\"><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1\"><span class=\"citation-206\">The <\/span><span class=\"citation-206\">Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)<\/span><span class=\"citation-206\">, which hosts between <\/span><span class=\"citation-206\">2 and 3 million<\/span><span class=\"citation-206\"> of the world\u2019s 14 million artisanal miners, offers a blueprint for formalisation through cooperatives<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"9,3\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"10\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,0,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"10,0,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,0,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-205\">Official Zones:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-205\"> The government created designated artisanal mining zones to recognize miners who turned to &#8220;survival-mining&#8221; after the collapse of state-owned companies<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"10,0,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p><div class=\"03bb5c02e2f58c6bb7f372bc13011e34\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"><span style=\"font-size:10px;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ZXZ -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8677361123316975\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3054782407\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br><br \/>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,1,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"10,1,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-204\">Cooperatives:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-204\"> These groups help market products internationally and ensure minerals are <\/span><span class=\"citation-204\">traceability compliant<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10,2,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"10,2,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"10,2,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-203\">Social Benefits:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-203\"> Through these formal structures, miners can now access financial services, life insurance, and retirement funds<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"10,2,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"11\">The Role of the Private Sector<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\"><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0\">The private sector is also proving that small-scale miners can be successfully integrated into global markets. <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,2\"><span class=\"citation-202\">Norman Mukwakwami<\/span><span class=\"citation-202\"> of Trafigura highlighted a partnership at the <\/span><span class=\"citation-202\">Mutoshi mine<\/span><span class=\"citation-202\"> involving Trafigura, Chemaf, and the COMIAKOL miners&#8217; collective<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,4\">. <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,6\"><span class=\"citation-201\">This collaboration ensures the safe and secure delivery of cobalt to international markets by working directly with artisanal miners within the concession<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,8\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"source-inline-chip-container ng-star-inserted\"><\/div>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"14\"><\/h3>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"14\">Key Requirements for Future Growth<\/h3>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\"><span data-path-to-node=\"15,1\"><span class=\"citation-200\">To formalise ASM at scale, several factors must be addressed<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"15,3\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-path-to-node=\"16\">\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,0,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,0,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-199\">Market Clarity:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-199\"> A better understanding of export requirements is needed<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,1,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"16,1,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,1,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-198\">Security of Tenure:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-198\"> Miners need guaranteed rights to the land they work to move beyond &#8220;subsistence&#8221; levels<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,1,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,2,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"16,2,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,2,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-197\">Gender Equality:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-197\"> Guidelines must be developed to promote gender equality within the ASM value chain<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,2,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"16,3,1\"><span data-path-to-node=\"16,3,1,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"16,3,1,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\"><span class=\"citation-196\">Coexistence:<\/span><\/b><span class=\"citation-196\"> Large mining houses can support the ecosystem by ceding concessions that are not profitable for large-scale operations to smaller entities<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,3,1,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p id=\"p-rc_a08e5c501352f268-94\" data-path-to-node=\"17\"><span data-path-to-node=\"17,1\"><span class=\"citation-195\">As Nzimande noted, there is room for operations of all sizes to work alongside one another, provided the laws allow for growth and mechanisation<\/span><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"17,3\">. <\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"17,5\"><span class=\"citation-194\">Formalising ASM is ultimately about more than just legalisation; it is about protecting <\/span><span class=\"citation-194\">economic livelihoods<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The global mineral economy relies heavily on a sector that is often misunderstood and overlooked: Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM). [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[190],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mining"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5819"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5820,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5819\/revisions\/5820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xeroltha.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}