Artisanal Gold Mining Mali

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE COMMENTING:

The people mining this gold are local people who own the right to the gold through ancestral domain. In other words, they are not working for dirt under exploitative conditions. These are farmers who mine gold and fish between harvest and planting seasons. It is the only way some of them have to earn cash. They keep all the gold they find and sell it themselves at the fair market rate. They are not getting ripped off, and they are not being poisoned by mercury. Yes, there are mines in the hills near this location wher people are exploited and work under very dangerous conditions. I visited one of the bad mines and was not welcome, which is very strange anywhere in Mali. Anyway, these people are doing it voluntarily and receive full value for their take.

This is: People panning for gold using traditional techniques on the Niger River, Mali, West Africa. They seem to get about one or two US dollars-worth in an afternoon when sold at local market (probably a lot more than that now). There are few other ways to earn cash there. Plus, this is during the hottest time of year and working in the river isn't so bad...

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Mali
• Niger
• River
• Gold
• Artisanal
• Panning
• Mining
• Africa
• Peace
• Corps
• Bambara
• Mande
• Malinke

[andreadoloffo]

Thank you for the true picture of seeing how Capitalist Oligarchs continue to exploit the poor, meager wages and unfair brutal labor practices in order to enrich themselves as always.

[HumboldtMike]

@andreadoloffo Yeah, I'm not a big fan of the "Capitalist Oligarchs" myself. I'm also not a big fan of gold mining in general. But spewing like you are doing with no understanding of the particulars, does nobody any favors. These people do this of their own volition between harvest and planting time. They are freelance, and are paid the going rate for the gold. And this is the only way many of them have of earning cash. You've chosen a poor example for airing your politics.

[MrAhamoui]

Great video, people that do this work should be respected for what they have to go through, including the camera man

Good work, very interesting

[HumboldtMike]

@MrAhamoui Thanks! Yes, massive respect to my friends in Mali. The camera man is just glad that they were willing to "go through" having him there - and is glad that he doesn't have to work that hard all the time... The camera man wouldn't have been comfortable shooting if he hadn't already been there for two years. I knew all of the adults except the muscular bald guy, and he was subtly gracious in allowing me to film. And I wouldn't have posted if the area wasn't already well known for gold.

[HumboldtMike]

I had some leather work done a couple of times, but my blacksmith friends sent it to another village to be done. The only time I saw leather work was at the artisan's market in Bamako, but I didn't observe much. I remember a guy using water with rusty nails in it to stain some leather.

I guess racists are looking for any excuse to be idiots...

[maxinpains]

I would like to see how do they refine those blacksand golds...Thanks

[HumboldtMike]

@maxinpains I know that they took a mix of black sand and gold home at the end of the day, but I don't know how they refined it.

[shakiin000]

what a physique!

what do they eat to look like that!?

[piecartbox]

LOL

[sambking]

@andreadoloffo

I don't see a gun to anyones head. Looks voluntary to me. And what about the UNSEEN as Bastiat said? Without these jobs how much worse off would these people be? Going off half-cocked without doing your homework shows your ignorance. I suggest going to Mises.org and start reading. I don't believe in forcing anyone to do anything and I don't see any force here.

[grantcop2]

Gold!:D

[koni1314]

@shakiin000 no fast food...

[kristinetourdi]

Very interesting video, thanks! I've spent about a year in Mali, but mostly in Bamako and never seen this work. Would you mind sharing the name of the town you filmed this in?