Pernicious extractivism and the perils of artisanal and small-scale mining formalisation

This paper introduces pernicious extractivism (PE) as a novel concept that highlights the subtle, cumulative social harms pervasive in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities. Beyond visible environmental degradation, it encompasses intertwined processes of chronic social disintegration and symbolic violence that erode trust, rights, and social cohesion. It also highlights intergenerational trauma, incremental cultural heritage loss, and unreported psychological distress that deepen community vulnerabilities. Drawing on a scenario-building approach, we highlight the intricacies of PE and how these social fractures are compounded by cumulative neglect in health, education, and infrastructure, reinforcing social isolation and normalising a hidden yet profoundly destabilising harm. This integrative understanding foregrounds these latent socio-environmental indicators as essential metrics for grasping the complex, evolving fabric of extractive impacts. Formalisation policies, aimed at regulating ASM, have significant potential to mitigate PE by promoting social inclusion, cultural preservation, and community empowerment. However, they also risk exacerbating these harms when elite capture, systemic informality, institutional complexities, enforcement gaps, and power asymmetries persist, potentially marginalising vulnerable miners and entrenching symbolic/structural violence. Addressing PE requires nuanced formalisation approaches that harmonise regulatory frameworks with participatory governance, social justice, and the Sustainable Development Goals to mitigate harm and enhance the resilience of ASM communities.