A significant share of the world’s gold production comes from artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Here, we explore the realities, challenges, and opportunities of this sector – and highlight pioneering mines and initiatives.
In the south of Peru lies the district of Ananea in the province of Puno, about
4,700 meters above sea level. The area is characterized by cold and
snowy weather with temperatures between -10 °C to + 10 °C.
The SOTRAMI mining cooperative is located in Santa Filomena, a small village in the Atacama desert in southern Peru. In the 1980s, as a result of an economic crisis, the region was increasingly populated by miners who tried their luck prospecting for gold in abandoned mine shafts.
