MutConsult is proud to have contributed to the recently published World Bank report, Achieving Sustainable and Inclusive Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM). This comprehensive framework outlines critical interventions that support the formalization and professionalization of the ASM sector, addressing key challenges such as access to finance, regulatory reforms, and environmental stewardship.

The release of this report is a significant milestone for the global mining community. ASM directly impacts the livelihoods of over 225 million people worldwide, yet it often remains informal and underregulated. The World Bank’s new approach emphasizes the need for greater collaboration between governments, the private sector, and local communities to ensure sustainable mining practices that contribute to national development goals.

The Framework in Brief

1. Legitimacy and Regulatory Frameworks

Establishing clear, responsive, and accessible regulatory frameworks helps formalize the ASM sector, reducing informality and illegal practices. A legitimate, regulated sector enables miners to operate safely and legally, protecting both their livelihoods and the environment. Formalization also opens opportunities for miners to access financial services, legal markets, and government support.

2. Environmental Stewardship and Security

ASM can have severe environmental impacts, including deforestation, water contamination, and biodiversity loss. Prioritizing environmental governance ensures that ASM practices are sustainable, mitigating these negative effects while improving the sector’s long-term viability. Environmental security also protects the health of mining communities and surrounding ecosystems.

3. Professionalization and Capacity Building

Supporting miners through professionalization—by improving access to training, modern equipment, and extension services—raises productivity and safety standards. By developing the capacity of ASM operators, the sector can contribute more effectively to national development goals, ensuring miners work more safely, sustainably, and profitably.

4. Financial Inclusion

Limited access to finance restricts ASM operations, often forcing miners to rely on informal or illicit sources of funding. Promoting financial inclusion through formal banking services, microfinance, and legal trading opportunities enables miners to invest in safer, more productive equipment and practices. It also opens pathways for miners to participate in the global supply chain.

5. Gender Equality Across the Value Chain

Women make up a significant portion of the ASM workforce but are often underrepresented in decision-making roles and disproportionately exposed to health and safety risks. Promoting gender equality in the sector ensures that women benefit from capacity building, financial inclusion, and leadership opportunities, fostering a more equitable and inclusive mining environment.

6. Access to Legal Markets

ASM miners often struggle to access formal, legal markets, which leads to lower income and increased reliance on informal and potentially exploitative buyers. Enabling access to legal markets ensures fair pricing for miners, reduces illicit trade, and helps integrate ASM into responsible supply chains.

7. Local Governance and Decentralization

Decentralizing governance and ensuring local governments play an active role in managing ASM operations fosters better coordination and monitoring at the community level. This ensures that mining practices align with local development goals and strengthens accountability within the sector.

8. Partnerships and Global Public Goods

Collaboration between governments, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations is essential for scaling up solutions to the challenges facing the ASM sector. Multistakeholder partnerships enable the pooling of resources and expertise, promoting innovations such as clean technologies and sustainability initiatives that benefit both the environment and local economies.

These key areas of the framework are crucial for creating a more sustainable and inclusive future for the ASM sector, improving livelihoods while minimizing environmental and social harm.

As a contributor, MutConsult is committed to fostering inclusive, responsible mining practices, and we believe that the publication of this framework will drive meaningful progress toward a more resilient and environmentally conscious mining sector. This renewed focus on sustainability and the formalization of ASM will benefit communities, protect ecosystems, and contribute to long-term economic growth.