Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) Related Environmental and Health Problems

• Other Authors: Sakakibara, Masayuki (Editor), Kyaw, Win Thiri (Editor), Rivera Parra, José Luis (Editor)
• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023
• Subjects: Medicine; Oncology; artisanal and small gold mining; contaminant movement; Ecuador; environmental risks; extractive industries; illegal mining; elevated blood levels; artisanal and small-scale gold mining; para-occupational; environmental health; gold price; Indonesia; influxes of miners; landcover change; mining camp; remote sensing; environmental governance; nighttime light; online health assessment; Myanmar; coronavirus disease; mining community; mercury; methylmercury; artisanal small-scale gold mining; Amazon; human health; economic valuation; copper; geomedical science; Gorontalo; atmospheric; ASGM; amalgamation; accumulation; tree bark; best-worst scaling; job opportunities; preferences; Pteris vittata; absorption; arsenic; lead; Bone River; Gorontalo Province; work; health; disease; intoxication; heavy metal; neuro-psychological disorders; Indonesian gold mining; environmental and health impact; TDCoPs; transdisciplinary; Southeast Asia; active mining; alluvial mining; SAR; surface water occurrence; heavy metal contamination; river sediments; geo-accumulation index; synthetic aperture radar; Hg; air; water; soil; plant; fish; human hair; health risk; mining; artisanal mining; small-scale mining; environment; bibliometric analysis; working memory; executive functions; indigenous population; environmental exposure; Matsigenka; Manu National Park; Amazon Basin; cocoa; contaminant mobility; contamination; toxic metals
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

This reprint focuses on artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) all over the world, as well as its impact on the economy, environment, and health, providing sustainable solutions to severe ASGM problems. This book presents a total of 20 published articles of regions including Southeast Asia, South America, and South Africa, as well as a general overview of ASGM issues. Studies included in this book posit that (1) ASGM activity is still widely practiced as an alternative livelihood in rural areas in many countries around the world, using toxic elements such as Hg and cyanide due to a lack of legal enforcement on the ASGM sector; (2) ASGM has a negative impact on environmental ecosystems, causes occupational health problems for miners, and causes chronic health disorders in both ASGM communities and those living far from ASGM areas. However, some studies propose that specific potential bioindicators could be used to monitor the environment and health of those living in ASGM communities, providing sustainable solutions to severe ASGM problems.