What is Artisanal Mining?

Artisanal Mining is a done by miners who are not officially employed by a mining company, but works independently, mining minerals using their own resources, often by hand.  Artisanal Mining is an important socio-economic sector for the rural poor in many developing nations, many of whom have few other options for supporting their families.   Over 90% of the world's mining workforce are Artisanal miners.