>>21235445I totally agree with this. I'd imagine artisanal miners go into it because it provides somewhat more money than subsistence farming, if farming is even an option where they are.
I've heard of really unsafe working practices in the US by immigrants. A friend of mine once worked, in his younger days, removing asbestos from buildings. He worked with a group of immigrants who, he said, refused to wear the respirators the company provided. I'd imagine many of those workers ended up with mesothelioma.
And I have no doubt many artisanal miners have the same attitude toward safety. I admire their industriousness and many would probably make good workers, and formally hiring and training them would indeed be ideal. That's what I'd hope for them.
There are many types of artisanal mines. Some might be profitable for a major company to work, others might be unattractive to a regular mining company. So some artisanal miners would, ideally, have a shot at real employment, but others wouldn't even if they learned best practices, simply because they're mining marginal ore.
I just don't wish ill on any of them, and I take it you don't either. I'm thinking of their economic situation and you're mentioning their safety. Of course both are valid concerns. I'd imagine artisanal mining is hard to do as a person ages, given how old fashion and physical the methods are, and these people have no retirement plan except for their kids taking care of them later on in life, which is, granted, the age old answer for taking care of the elderly.
Artisanal mining will probably endure for generations to come, since it'll take the most backward parts of the world quite a long time to develop to the level of even the middle income countries.
I always value your opinions. Neither of us has a perfect answer for these people.
