By Ajak John Ateng.
Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has become one of the most important livelihood activities in South Sudan, particularly in gold-producing regions where rural communities depend on it for income and survival. Yet the sector remains largely informal, weakly regulated, and environmentally damaging. In a country striving to diversify its oil dependent economy and stabilize fragile institutions, strengthening regulatory governance of ASM is no longer optional, it is a national imperative. If properly governed, ASM can generate revenue, create employment, and stimulate rural development. If neglected, it risks fueling environmental degradation, smuggling, conflict financing, and public health crises.
A first priority is formalization. Many countries have demonstrated that simplifying licensing procedures and creating transparent mining cadastre systems reduces illegal mining and improves state oversight. Ghana, for example, established the Ghana Gold Board to regulate, purchase, and export gold from licensed small-scale miners. By centralizing gold buying and enforcing traceability, Ghana has reduced smuggling and strengthened revenue collection. Rwanda has also implemented digital mineral traceability systems to track production from mine sites to export points, enhancing transparency and international market confidence. South Sudan can adopt a similar centralized regulatory authority supported by a digital cadastre and streamlined licensing framework to reduce informality and corruption.
Environmental governance must form the backbone of any ASM reform. Across Africa and Latin America, poorly regulated small-scale mining has led to deforestation, river siltation, mercury contamination, and biodiversity loss. Colombia has shown that environmental enforcement combined with training in cyanide, sulfuric acid, ammonium nitrate and mercury-free processing technologies can significantly reduce toxic emissions while improving gold recovery rates. Meanwhile, Senegal has faced severe environmental and public health challenges due to unregulated mercury use in gold processing areas. These lessons are clear, South Sudan must embed mandatory environmental impact assessments, land rehabilitation requirements, and strict controls on hazardous chemicals into its mining regulations. Without environmental safeguards, short-term economic gains will translate into long-term ecological and social costs for South Sudan.
Technology offers powerful tools to strengthen governance. Remote sensing, satellite imagery, and geographic information systems (GIS) can monitor illegal mining sites and deforestation in real time. Mobile-based reporting systems can allow communities to report environmental violations, while block chain and digital traceability platforms can verify the origin of gold and prevent conflict minerals from entering global supply chains. Countries participating in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative have improved revenue disclosure and public accountability in the mining sector. By aligning with such international standards and adopting e-governance platforms, South Sudan can modernize its oversight mechanisms and build investor confidence.
Inclusive governance is essential to strengthening artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in South Sudan. Regulatory reform must actively involve local communities, traditional leaders, women, youth groups, and miner cooperatives to ensure that policies reflect realities on the ground and promote shared benefits. Experiences from countries such as Ghana and Rwanda show that organized ASM cooperatives and structured oversight improve safety standards, environmental compliance, and mineral traceability while reducing conflict and smuggling. At the same time, durable reform depends on strong institutions well-trained mining inspectors, environmental officers, and judicial authorities capable of enforcing laws transparently and consistently. Clear grievance mechanisms and accountable revenue management, with reinvestment in schools, clinics, and infrastructure, are critical to building public trust. Through inclusive participation and institutional capacity building, South Sudan can transform ASM into a regulated and sustainable contributor to national development.
South Sudan stands at a critical crossroads. With oil revenues volatile and economic diversification urgently needed, artisanal and small-scale mining represents both promise and peril. By learning from countries such as Ghana, Rwanda, Colombia, and Senegal, and by integrating technology, environmental safeguards, and inclusive policymaking into its governance framework, South Sudan can transform ASM from an informal survival activity into a regulated, sustainable pillar of national development. The message is unequivocal that failure to implement strategic regulation now will inevitably result in far greater environmental degradation and severe economic consequences in the future. Ajak John is the President of the Geological Society of South Sudan and can be at Email: geosssinfo21@gmail.com