Abstract:
For decades, Guyana has been the location of a vibrant artisanal and small-scale mining
(ASM) sector. The environmental and socio-economic aspects of its operations, however,
have received sparingly little coverage in the literature; as has the recent rapid expansion of
the country‟s gold and (to a lesser extent) diamond economy. The transformation of
Guyanese small-scale mining from a insignificant nomadic activity into a central national
industry of thousands has been linked to diminishing economic and livelihood opportunities
within the country and to the booming global price of gold, both of which have drawn rising
numbers of people into the mineral-rich „interior‟. Despite the relatively „sophisticated‟
equipment used and the sizeable capital investments made in Guyanese small-scale mines, as
well as the existence of relevant policy and government institutions, issues within the
industry are familiar to ASM regions elsewhere; widespread environmental degradation, poor
and illegal practice of many kinds, and a lack of institutional capacity to enforce penned
legislation. This paper provides an overview of the sector, including its central features,
impacts, monitoring and regulation, the ways in which abatement of polluting practice such
as mercury contamination has been approached, and likely developments in the future of the
industry. The Guyana experience provides insight into a notably different context to those
usually described within ASM research, and may be found to offer valuable guidance on the
implementation of strategies elsewhere, such as in Ghana and sub-Saharan African nations.
