One of the biggest sustainability transition challenges relates to our ability to mine enough critical minerals to allow the various sustainable industries to scale up the (already known) solutions.
If we want the sustainability transitions to actually happen, especially in energy and industry, then we have to accept that more mining (of some minerals) needs to happen. Full stop.
Artisanal mining deserves more attention. In the last of his series, Rob Karpati summarises why it's important, and the practical steps being taken to solve the challenges.
Artisanal mining is becoming an increasingly important issue as we examine the challenges faced by mined material supply chains. But, the importance of these solutions goes well beyond mining.
Artisanal mining is a key sustainability challenge. But it's importance goes beyond this. The solutions found can also help sustainability professionals as they look to address the wider financial issues faced by mining companies.
Rob Karpati, from The Blended Capital Group, has been guest writing blogs for us on artisanal mining. Feedback we frequently get is 'thanks, we now get the problem, so what can we do'. Formalisation is the preferred pathway, but how to best deliver it?
One solution is to formalise the ASM sector, making it possible for the miners to legally earn a living. This is a good solution, but we need to recognise that each location has its own specific challenges - there is not a single catch all solution.
The increasing focus on supply chains for the critical minerals used in green technologies has also brought the topic of artisanal mining to the fore. It remains a controversial and not well understood topic.