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The public good dilemma of a non-renewable common resource: A look at the facts of artisanal gold mining

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Listed author(s):
  • Saldarriaga-Isaza, Adrián
  • Villegas-Palacio, Clara
  • Arango, Santiago

Abstract

Millions of people worldwide are involved in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Many of them live in conditions of poverty and insalubrities due to the mercury amalgamation of gold and the application of other rudimentary techniques. In spite of this, the sector has been nearly overlooked by resource economists. In this paper we analyze the sector based on a survey of the existing literature. We find some commonalities of artisanal and small-scale gold mining in different countries of the developing world as follows: low levels of mechanization and technology, labor intensiveness, low awareness of environmental degradation, poor training, high transience among some miners, and lack of financial savings. Moreover, with these commonalities in mind, we present some topics and challenges for a research agenda in the field of environmental, ecological, and development economics.

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Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Resources Policy.

Volume (Year): 38 (2013)
Issue (Month): 2 ()
Pages: 224-232

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Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:38:y:2013:i:2:p:224-232
DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2013.02.001
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/30467

Keywords: Small-scale gold mining; Mercury pollution; Collective action; Common-pool resource;

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Cited by:

  1. Saldarriaga-Isaza, Adrián & Villegas-Palacio, Clara & Arango, Santiago, 2015. "Phasing out mercury through collective action in artisanal gold mining: Evidence from a framed field experiment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 406-415.
  2. Wisdom Akpalu & Ametefee K. Normanyo, 2016. "Gold mining pollution and the cost of private healthcare: The case of Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series 121, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
  3. Saldarriaga-Isaza, Adrián & Arango, Santiago & Villegas-Palacio, Clara, 2015. "A behavioral model of collective action in artisanal and small-scale gold mining," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 98-109.
  4. Sinan Erzurumlu, S. & Erzurumlu, Yaman O., 2015. "Sustainable mining development with community using design thinking and multi-criteria decision analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(P1), pages 6-14.
  5. Fritz, Morgane M.C. & Maxson, Peter A. & Baumgartner, Rupert J., 2016. "The mercury supply chain, stakeholders and their responsibilities in the quest for mercury-free gold," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 177-192.

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