Uganda

Total: As ARM-18 is based on a country case study, 300,000 total is considered reliable.
Min/max: is therefore estimated at approx. 5%, i.e. +/- 15,000.
Female ASM population: was estimeted by ARM-18 at 40%, i.e. 120,000.
Gold: Most recent data from GEF-21 → 30,000

2021: 30,000 ASGM

(GEF-21):

People employed in ASGM: 30,000
Gold produced (kg/year): 7,000
Mercury released (kg/year): 18,000

2018: 300,000

(ARM-18), Table Annex 3: 300,000
Based on ARM (2018): https://www.responsiblemines.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Uganda_case_study.pdf : 300,000
… the current ASM population is estimated at more than 300,000 women, men and children. Based on women’s high levels of production in certain key sites and minerals, they are currently estimated to comprise approximately 40% of the ASM workforce overall
Footnote: Gold: 40,000; 3T: 1,700, limestone: 5,000; stone aggregate: 150,000; sand: 6,000; clay: 93,000; dimension stone: 3,000; and salt: 7,000. Totalling 305,700. As other minerals were not assessed, estimates on 3T minerals and salt have not been updated from 2008 for total ASM employment estimates.

2016: 150,000

(HIL-16): Directly working in ASM: 150,000
Estimated number of dependants: 900,000

2014: 218,000

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

Expected ASM population: 218,000 
Estimated ASM gold production: 2.5 t/a

2013: 196,000

(IIED-13): 196,000

1999: 7,500

(ILO-99): Employment: 5,000 - 10,000
Number of mines: n/a
Illegal mines: n/a

ReferenceYearCitationArchived CopyLink
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/…
AMDC-172017AMDC (2017): ASM Sector Report. Selected countries policy profile review of ASMamdc-17.pdfknowledge.uneca.org/…
IIED-132013Buxton, A. (2013): Responding to the challenge of artisanal and small-scale mining. How can knowledge networks help? IIED, London.iied-13.pdfpubs.iied.org/…
HIL-162016Hilson, G. (2016): Artisanal and small-scale mining and agriculture: Exploring their links in rural sub-Saharan Africa. IIED, London.hil-16.pdfpubs.iied.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/…
GEF-212021GEF (2021): Second phase of planetGOLD doubles countries addressing mercury in ASGM. Article on PlanetGOLD website, 29 March 2021gef-21.pdfplanetgold.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/…
ASM DATA - Country Database Record
Country CodeUGA
CountryUganda
ASM StatusExisting (data assessed)
Country Count1
Data year2021
Publ. year2021
ASM Miners300,000
- gold30 ,000
Data curation as reported
Inc. DevMinyes
- min.285,000
- max.315,000
- female120 ,000
ASM Commoditiesgold, 3T, salt, clay, sand, stone
  • country/uganda.txt
  • Last modified: 2022/10/27
  • by Felix Hruschka