Our research sites in Uganda are in Busia District (south-east) and Buhweju District (south-west). ASGM is mainly based on alluvial extraction, although there is some hard rock mining. Small but high-grade vein quartz mineralisation in Busia makes it attractive, while Buhweju excites less interest. Combining remote sensing, ethnography, and participatory development methods helps us to capture different perspectives on the in-depth terrain. From above, hilly Buhweju is characterised by rugged landscape. Zooming in exposes mining, agriculture, settlements, and wetlands. Mining the wetlands provokes environmental alarm, unsurprisingly, but agriculture drives wetland consumption. On the ground and underground, conducting research with miners, the materiality of mining and its risks are apparent, as is the labour of extraction. In Busia, the gendered nature of people’s tasks within the terrain comes into view. This is linked to different scales, from the vast movement of soil by men in excavators preparing in-depth operations, to women with basins picking up small tailings by hand.
Aerial impression of eastern Buhweju
From far above, one sees land marked by rugged terrain. Gold mining and small-scale agriculture occur in the valleys, including the wetlands; hilltops are studded with woodlots. A relatively “coarse scale” over a large area precludes visualization of these details. For this, zooming into particular sites is necessary.
1/2 Zooming in: a hard rock gold mine
An image of one of the largest active gold mines in Buhweju district. Grasslands, woodlots and small-scale agriculture are detectable around the site. Some settlements are also visible north east of the gold mine.
2/2 Hard rock gold mine: ground level
Pits and a processing area. Out of the frame, shacks for food sellers and a road for moving materials and bringing gold buyers from Kampala.
1/2 A village with valley from above
This satellite image of a village shows some active gold mining sites within and adjacent to the wetland. Small-scale agriculture is visible along the wetland stretch. Settlements are mostly along the road.
2/2 Through the valley
Small-scale agriculture and woodlots line the slopes of the valley. Nearby are banana plantations, while in the distance on the hillslope is a settlement with a road winding through.
1/2 Zooming in on the wetlands
Gold mines (“purple” patches) can be seen from the image above both within and near the wetland (“dark green” patches). Small-scale agriculture (“light green” patches) has facilitated degradation of the wetland.
2/2 Mining the wetland
A mine site in the wetland lining a valley bottom.
1/4 Breaking stones
One of the biggest obstacles for artisanal miners who dig into the wetland are the heavy stones that they encounter underground. Some boulders are so heavy that they must be broken in smaller pieces with hammers before being transported outside the pit.
2-3/4 Waiting for others
Miners wait for the gravel extracted from the bottom of the pit.
4/4 Timba Feeza 1
Video clip showing different stages, techniques, and tools used by artisanal miners to search for gold in wetlands.
1/3 Testing the terrain
Horizontal excavations are among the riskiest activities of artisanal miners. In this case, a group of miners is digging a tunnel to test for the presence of gold in the area.
2/3 Keeping eyes on the mine
Miners assess the risk of collapse of a horizontal tunnel dug into the terrain.
3/3 Bringing up earth (and gold)
After days of weeks of hard work, miners have reached the layer where they have more chance to find gold.
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1/4 Wait for it…
The miners of Busia United Small-scale Mining Company (BUSCO) wait at the top of their mine, because today they extracted a part of the gold vein. All members are present to witness the yield.
2-3/4 Geology: the hard-rock
This mine of Busia United Small-scale Mining Company (BUSCO) is known for its especially hard-rock. The hard-rock enables mining in the rainy season, because the mine structure is less affected by water. In the photo, members of BUSCO bring up the ore that they excavated.
4/4 Geology: the soft soil
This mine is located next to the hard-rock mine. Geologically, it looks very different. In this photo, members of BUSCO clear their mine from the soft top soil that came down in a small landslide due to rains. The hard-rock here is situated much deeper. This affects the mining methods.
1/2 Excavating shallow and deep
In the open-cast mine of Tiira Landlords and Artisanal Miners Association (TLAMA), diverse mining activities take place. In this photo, women carry in basins the small pieces of ore that they searched for in the piles of discarded soil and rock, while an excavator prepares the mine for more in-depth operations.
2/2 Division of labour
At this mine of Tiira Small-Scale Mining Association (TISSMA) is a division of labour. Underground in the timbered shaft, men extract the ore. Women then carry the ore from the bottom of the mine to a storage place. This is typical in gold mining. Two women in Busia, though, gained fame doing underground mining.
