A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining

Abstract

Mineral resource exploitation is one of the activities that contribute to economic growth and the development of society. Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is one of these activities. Unfortunately, there is no clear consensus to define ASM. However, its importance is relevant in that it represents, in some cases, the only employment alternative for millions of people, although it also significantly impacts the environment. This work aims to investigate the scientific information related to ASM through a bibliometric analysis and, in addition, to define the new lines that are tending to this field. The study comprises three phases of work: (i) data collection, (ii) data processing and software selection, and (iii) data interpretation. The results reflect that the study on ASM developed intensively from 2010 to the present. In general terms, the research addressed focuses on four interrelated lines: (i) social conditioning factors of ASM, (ii) environmental impacts generated by ASM, (iii) mercury contamination and its implication on health and the environment, and (iv) ASM as a livelihood. The work also defines that geotourism in artisanal mining areas is a significant trend of the last decade, explicitly focusing on the conservation and use of the geological and mining heritage and, in addition, the promotion of sustainable development of ASM.

Assessing the knowledge and practices of occupational safety and health in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of Ghana: A case of obuasi

“…However, the ASGM is characterized by a non-functioning management system where most workers are at their own management though some have structured system but do not care about safety and health conditions of their workers. This was confirmed by the findings of ( Veiga and Omotayo, 2020 ; Morante-Carballo et al., 2022 ) that as a reason of the booming nature of the ASGM, majority of workers do not care about their safety and health conditions. Moreover ( Armah et al., 2016 ; Pejtersen and Kristensen 2009 ), found that the ability of mining workers to self-protect and observe work-related health issues is mostly dependent on where they work.…”

Proposal for the Rehabilitation of Houseshold in Seismic Vulnerability Zones

“…According to Hess H., the plates move owing to the expansion of the ocean floor over the asthenosphere, a more ductile or less viscous underlying layer driven by the convective forces of the mantle [3]. The contours of tectonic plate areas are regions of high geological activity, including volcanic activity, earthquakes, and plate movements [4].…”

Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Low and Medium Enthalpy Geothermal Energy: Environmental, Economic, and Strategic Insights

“…The vital role of geothermal energy necessitates a comprehensive literature review of the contributions of the scientific community and its applications in the public and industrial sectors [15,27]. Bibliometric and literature reviews provide a profound and detailed insight into this field of study, utilizing systematic tools or techniques to extract bibliographic information from databases such as Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) [28,29].…”