The Ministry of Mining says it is registering progress in the formalization of Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASMs) in different parts of the country, which is involving organizing the ASMs into cooperatives to easily regulate their activities. Director of Mines in the Ministry Samuel Sakhuta told Mining & Trade Review in an interview that the Ministry has already facilitated the formation of 18 cooperatives in different parts of the country. “Very soon we are going to license other three cooperatives, one in Mangochi, one in Kasiya, Lilongwe and the other one in Neno. These are going to be trained and this will increase the number of cooperatives from 18 to 21,” says Sakhuta He says the formation of cooperatives is assisting the Ministry to easily reach out to the miners to sensitize them on sustainable mining practices in accordance with occupational safety, health and environment regulations. “We are trying our best so that we control this practice of illegal mining and make sure that the best methods and recommended tools are used,” he says. He says the Ministry is continuing its routine programme of training, teaching, advising, monitoring and inspecting the small scale miners on proper mining methods to minimize accidents that have also resulted in deaths in ASM hotspots. “It is through these cooperatives that the Ministry is planning structured training. Our officers will continue training small scale miners on proper mining methods as they need to use recommended and appropriate equipment to minimize accidents associated with illegal mining,” he says. Malawi has over the years witnessed growth in illegal mining activities, which have seen hundreds of people venturing into small scale mining of gold and valuable gemstones, which has attracted buyers from different countries. Due to lack of knowledge of sustainable mining practices, a number of fatal accidents including deaths continue to be reported in these mining sites notably Mangochi-Makanjira and Kasungu. The activities have also been associated with smuggling as buyers from foreign countries who camp in the areas surrounding the ASM hotspots buy the minerals from locals at a very low price to smuggle to foreign markets to sell at a whooping profit. The development prompted the Reserve Bank of Malawi through its subsidiary the Export Development Fund (EDF) to form a structured market for gold and gemstones to save the precious minerals from smugglers. Sakhuta says Department of Mines (DoM) is working closely with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism (MoITT) in the formalization of the ASM sector which includes guiding them to sell the minerals to EDF market and not the foreign smugglers. He says: “Our aim is to ensure poverty alleviation in ASM areas by making sure that the operators carry out their work using sustainable mining practices that protect their lives and the environment.” We also want to ensure that the miners make profits in the business for the sake of poverty alleviation and economic empowerment in ASM areas so that Malawi moves away from the current scenario where by ASM activities are carried out on subsistence basis. We want more ASMs to make profits that will assist them graduate into mechanized medium scale mining.”