Small scale mining activities provide both positive and negative impacts. Although the activities are largely informal, miners and their communities still benefit from the opportunity to earn a living for their efforts. Their methods pose serious problems however, as they are often crude and unsophisticated, exposing miners to potential operational risks. For instance, many small scale miners are using mercury to recover gold, with little concern for the health risks and environmental degradation that results from its use. Small scale communities also often have limited access to basic healthcare, and education services, and the miners’ activities tend to be considered illegal, where government infrastructure is limited and middle men exploit their efforts. The logistics of these regions can also provide many challenges for undercapitalized individuals to transport and sell their ore, contributing directly to their ability to support their basic needs. There is also much evidence that these pressures are passing on to younger family members as well, fueling a prevalence of child labor in many small scale mining communities.
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