Nicaragua

Total: according to 2017 data: 30,000
Min/max: variation downwards may be low, upwards somewhat higher → 25,000 - 40,000
Female participation: possibly in the range of 20% - 30% → 7,000
Gold: No reports of other minerals than gold extarcted by ASM → 30,000

2017: 30,000

Centro Humboldt (https://humboldt.org.ni/la-pequena-mineria-y-mineria-artesanal-en-nicaragua/):

Con el incremento de la minería industrial, la pequeña minería y minería artesanal, ha experimentado un crecimiento exponencial en los últimos años ... No se tienen estimaciones exactas de la cantidad de pequeños mineros que actualmente se encuentran laborando en el país. Sin embargo, según datos preliminares de la Federación de Mineros de Nicaragua (FEDEMNIC) existen alrededor de 30 mil personas a nivel nacional, organizadas en aproximadamente unos 2 mil grupos, colectivos o cooperativas.

2014: 20,000

(IGF-18): 10,000 - 30,000

2014: 25,000

(UBC-14): Gold-only data produced by statistic modelling:

Expected ASM population: 20,000 - 30,000 
Estimated ASM gold production: 1.2 t/a

1999: 4,500

(ILO-99): Employment: 3,000 - 6,000
Number of mines: n/a
Illegal mines: n/a

ReferenceYearCitationArchived CopyLink
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/…
UBC-142014Seccatore, J., Veiga, M., et al. (Univ. of British Columbia - UBC) (2014): An estimation of the artisanal small-scale production of gold in the world. Scitotenv. 496.ubc-14.pdfdoi.org/…
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/…
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/…
GMA-182018UNEP (2018): Global Mercury Assessment 2018. Technical Background Report E-Annex. Chapter 3.2. UNEP, Geneva.gma-18.pdfwedocs.unep.org/…
ASM DATA - Country Database Record
Country CodeNIC
CountryNicaragua
ASM StatusExisting (data assessed)
Country Count1
Data year2017
Publ. year2017
ASM Miners30,000
- gold30 ,000
Data curation as reported
Inc. DevMinno
- min.25,000
- max.40,000
- female7 ,000
ASM Commoditiesgold
  • country/nicaragua.txt
  • Last modified: 2022/10/27
  • by Felix Hruschka