Artisanal and small-scale mining: critical minerals

This report examines the potential for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) to expand its role in the global supply of critical minerals required for digital technology and low-carbon energy, emphasizing the need for formalization to mitigate environmental damage and support local livelihoods.

• Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is a significant but frequently overlooked contributor to the global supply of critical minerals. While not all critical minerals are easily sourced via ASM, the sector has the potential to play a larger role in meeting demand driven by digital technology and low-carbon energy adoption.
• Expanding the role of ASM could foster economic development and livelihoods in local communities, but requires significant policy and regulatory changes to formalize the sector, as current activities can be environmentally destructive and are often carried out by subsistence operators.
• Due to the informal nature of critical mineral supply chains, data collection on ASM is difficult. The report addresses this by using case studies of key locations and identifying new ASM frontiers that could become significant with appropriate support.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2024). Artisanal and small-scale mining: critical minerals. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/artisanal-small-scale-mining-critical-minerals

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Artisanal and small-scale mining: critical minerals. 2024. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/artisanal-small-scale-mining-critical-minerals.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Artisanal and small-scale mining: critical minerals |date=12 December 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/artisanal-small-scale-mining-critical-minerals |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2024artisanal, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Artisanal and small-scale mining: critical minerals}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/artisanal-small-scale-mining-critical-minerals}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }