Ivory Coast: The Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining on Local Livelihoods and the Mining Industry

In Ivory Coast, mining is one of the major sources of income for local people. Because of mining, jobs have been created thus increasing employment opportunities in rural regions. Moreover, this is a job that does not require a lot of skills, so a lot of people are able to join at the same time earning huge money within a short amount of time. Not only does this occupation attract adults, children are also interested in this activity. However, the negative social impacts caused by this activity remain indisputable. Chemical products used by miners and unsanitary conditions are harmful not only to miners themselves but also to innocent local people. There is a large destruction of lands, and also prostitution, which leads to the spreading of many contagious diseases. The paper mainly focuses on the impact of artisanal gold mining and its affects to local livelihoods and the environment in Ivory Coast. Some key recommendations for addressing artisanal mining activities in order to have good options for sustainable management of mineral resources in the country will be discussed.