Myanmar

Excellent and recent data from Pact (MMR-2019a):
Total: 521,000 + adding 4,000 for artisanal oil drilling not covered in MMR-2019a → 525,000
Min/max: 271,000 - 1,228,000
Female participation: 10% → 52,000
Gold: 173,000

2019

(MMR-2019a):

Pact has estimated 520,000 people directly employed in ASM, with a range between 270,000 and 1,200,000. 

From Table 2:
                        High       Low    Median
Gold:                693,500   104,025   173,375
Gemstone:            423,000   151,200   276,750  (incl. Jade)
Tin:                  32,000     4,000    20,000
Other metals:         12,000     3,000     6,000
Industrial minerals:  67,500     9,000    45,000
TOTAL:             1,228,000   271,000   521,000

Based on interviews, approximately 5 – 20% of the mining workforce in (legal) small-scale mines are women: within the informal sector this figure is estimated to be around 10%.
Asked about the significance of female roles in the ASM community, 32% stated they were ‘essential’, 48% stated their role was ‘fair’, and the remainder didn’t know.

2018

Personal interviews with NRGI and MCBP: 200,000 gemstone miners, 200,000 tin miners
NatGeo: 5,000 oil miners

2013

Personal information by xxx during SAM Conference: 50,000 gold miner

1999: 14,000

(ILO-99): Employment: 14,000
Number of mines: 50 - 120
Illegal mines: +/- 5%

ReferenceYearCitationArchived CopyLink
ARM-182018Barreto, M.L.,Schein, P., Hinton, J., Hruschka, F. (2018): The Impact of Small-Scale Mining Operations on Economies and Livelihoods in Low- to Middle-Income Countries. ARM, Envigado, PACT, Westcombe.arm-18.pdfresponsiblemines.org/…
GMA-182018UNEP (2018): Global Mercury Assessment 2018. Technical Background Report E-Annex. Chapter 3.2. UNEP, Geneva.gma-18.pdfwedocs.unep.org/…
IGF-182018IGF (2018): Global Trends in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): A review of key numbers and issues. IIED/IISD, London, Winnipeg.igf-18.pdfiisd.org/…
ILO-991999Jennings, N. (1999): Social and labour issues in small-scale mines. Report for discussion at the Tripartite Meeting on Social and Labour Issues in Small-scale Mines. ILO, Geneva.ilo-99.pdfilo.org/…
MMR-2019a2019McFarlane, D., Villalobos, R., (2019): The State of Artisanal Mining in Myanmar. Pact, Washingtonmmr-2019a.pdfpactworld.org/…
ASM DATA - Country Database Record
Country CodeMMR
CountryMyanmar
ASM StatusExisting (data assessed)
Country Count1
Data year2019
Publ. year2019
ASM Miners525,000
- gold173 ,000
Data curation as reported
Inc. DevMinyes
- min.271,000
- max.1,228,000
- female52 ,000
ASM Commoditiesgemstone, gold, industrial minerals, tin, other metals, oil
  • country/myanmar.txt
  • Last modified: 2022/11/11
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