Artisanal and small-scale mining, or ASM, is a largely informal economic sector that includes workers around the world who use basic tools to extract from the earth everything from gold and gemstones to vital metals such as cobalt, tin, tungsten and tantalum.

As long as the world demands these products, artisanal miners will continue to dig for the minerals they require, often under dangerous, exploitative conditions that include child labour and other human rights abuses. Artisanal mining is an important driver of development in communities from Africa to Asia, where there are often few other opportunities available for generating income.

We spoke to Zethu Hlatswayo, Spokesperson of the National Association of Artisanal Miners.