Efficiency as a road to sustainability in Small Scale Mining

The world is experiencing a new-millennium rush in precious metals, particularly gold, partly driven by crisis-induced shifts towards safe investments. This surge has led to a notable increase in gold production, primarily fueled by Artisanal (ASM) and Small-scale (SSM) mining operations in remote areas, with Brazil being a significant player in this sector. This paper seeks to clarify definitions of Small-Scale Mining and Artisanal Mining, emphasizing their productivity and corresponding social and environmental implications for sustainability. An analysis of production data reveals that SSM shows considerable potential for managing lower mineral grades and fluctuations in the market due to its inherent flexibility. There is a forecasted growth in the contribution of SSM to precious metals production over the coming decades. Through extensive data analysis, a correlation between production efficiency and human development indices is established and examined. The findings suggest that enhancing productivity efficiency may be the primary strategy to transition ASM units into sustainable and profitable Small-Scale industrial extractive operations.