South Africa Moves to Formalise Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining
South Africa · MINING
Key Facts
- —What happened South Africa adopted a national Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Policy in March 2022 and is now drafting laws to criminalise illegal gold extraction.
- —How big Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe estimated R60 billion (about US$3.2 billion) was lost to illegal mining in 2024.
- —The catch The Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002 never recognised artisanal mining, pushing most small operators into informality.
- —Who it hits Illegal gold mining is linked to organised syndicates, violence, weapons smuggling and human trafficking across Southern Africa.
- —What comes next A Mineral Resources Development Bill will insert dedicated ASM provisions, designate mining zones and criminalise undocumented mineral transport.
- —Why it matters African ASM gold feeds illicit financial flows and sanctions evasion through trading hubs in the UAE and Turkey, drawing in Russian banks.
South Africa is moving to formalise artisanal small-scale gold mining while criminalising illegal extraction, after an estimated R60 billion (about US$3.2 billion) loss in 2024. The shift aims to pull thousands of informal miners into the tax system and cut organised crime out of the gold trade.
South Africa is rewriting its mining laws to recognise artisanal and small-scale mining for the first time. The move targets illegal gold extraction that Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe says cost the economy R60 billion (about US$3.2 billion) in 2024.
A policy shift years in the making
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) adopted a national Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Policy in March 2022. The policy defines artisanal mining as traditional, low-tech extraction and small-scale mining as non-mechanised operations below a prescribed investment threshold.
It introduces Artisanal Mining Permits and Small-Scale Mining Permits to separate lawful operators from criminal activity. The goal is to integrate compliant miners into the tax and royalty system rather than leaving them outside the law.
For two decades, the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) of 2002 failed to recognise artisanal mining. That legal gap made most small-scale gold mining technically illegal and pushed miners into informality.
Criminalising the illegal gold trade
A Mineral Resources Development Bill and a parallel MPRDA review now seek to insert dedicated provisions for artisanal small-scale gold mining. The draft laws would designate specific ASM zones and criminalise illegal mining for the first time.
Undocumented mineral transport and trade would also become criminal offences. The aim is to break the link between informal extraction and organised syndicates that control much of the illegal gold flow.
Mantashe has described illegal mining as a “war on the economy.” Government responses include Operation Vala uMgodi, rehabilitation of derelict and ownerless mines, and deployment of around 3,300 South African National Defence Force personnel to support police operations since late 2023.
The money and power stakes
The R60 billion (about US$3.2 billion) estimate for 2024 losses underscores how much value is slipping outside state control. Illegal gold mining is linked to extreme violence, weapons and explosives smuggling, human trafficking and illicit financial flows.
Formalising artisanal small-scale gold mining would bring some of that activity into regulated channels. But the transition is politically sensitive, because many miners depend on informal income and distrust state oversight.
For investors, the proposed overhaul signals a more predictable legal framework for small-scale gold. It also creates enforcement risks for anyone buying gold from undocumented sources.
A regional and geopolitical problem
Across Africa, artisanal small-scale gold mining is a major source of illicit financial flows and conflict financing in states such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Ghana. Reforms linked to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative are pushing for tighter traceability.
These flows intersect with global sanctions evasion. Documented use of gold trading hubs in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey by Russian banks shows how poorly regulated African ASM supply chains can be laundered through such centres.
That embeds local illegal mining in a wider system of great-power competition, sanctions busting and commodity-based shadow finance. South Africa’s domestic crackdown is therefore part of a broader African effort to curb organised crime and geopolitical gold smuggling networks.
What to watch next
The Mineral Resources Development Bill will be the key legislative test for formalising artisanal small-scale gold mining. Its provisions on ASM zones, permits and criminal penalties will determine how quickly the policy becomes enforceable law.
Enforcement capacity remains a question, given the scale of illegal operations and the involvement of armed syndicates. The success of Operation Vala uMgodi and mine rehabilitation efforts will shape whether formalisation can actually reduce criminal activity.
For global readers tracking critical minerals and shadow finance, South Africa’s approach offers a template for other African states. The link between local gold mining and international sanctions evasion is a growing concern for regulators and investors alike, as covered in Africa: The New Scramble.
Frequently asked questions
What is South Africa doing about illegal gold mining?
South Africa is drafting a Mineral Resources Development Bill to criminalise illegal mining and undocumented mineral transport, while creating permits for lawful artisanal and small-scale miners.
How much money does illegal mining cost South Africa?
Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe estimated R60 billion (about US$3.2 billion) was lost to illegal mining in 2024.
Why is African artisanal gold linked to sanctions evasion?
Gold from poorly regulated African ASM supply chains can be laundered through trading hubs in the UAE and Turkey, where Russian banks have used gold to bypass Western financial restrictions.
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