As global demand for minerals grows, African governments and industry are accelerating efforts to formalize artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) through new regulations, digital platforms, financing mechanisms and cooperative models. These initiatives aim to increase government revenues, strengthen mineral traceability, curb illicit mining and attract responsible investment.

These reforms will take center stage at African Mining Week (AMW) 2026, taking place in Cape Town from October 14–16, through a dedicated Accelerating the Formalization of ASM panel, where policymakers, mining companies and industry leaders will examine the policies, partnerships and technologies driving ASM formalization across the continent.

The discussion comes as artisanal mining assumes an increasingly strategic role in the global minerals industry. ASM accounts for more than 20% of global gold and critical minerals production. The sector supports the livelihoods of more than 40 million people and indirectly benefits an estimated 150 million people across sub-Saharan Africa, yet between 70% and 80% of operations remain informal, highlighting a significant opportunity to drive economic growth through formalization.

Ghana is demonstrating how formalization can strengthen both production and investment. The country now sources more than 52% of its gold output from ASM operators and continues to formalize the sector through the Ghana Gold Board and expanded community mining programs. Typhoon Greenfield Development is supporting these efforts through an in-house initiative that provides technical assistance to neighboring artisanal miners. At AMW 2026, Kwaku Nsiah-Asare, CEO of Typhoon Greenfield Development, is expected to share insights into the company's ASM integration model and how partnerships between industrial and artisanal miners can strengthen production while promoting sustainable sector development.

Meanwhile, Rand Refinery is supporting Ghana's ASM formalization through a partnership with Gold Coast Refinery to strengthen local gold purchasing and beneficiation. By providing technical, operational and commercial oversight, the company is helping the refinery achieve internationally recognized assaying and refining standards for ASM gold. As African producers accelerate downstream mineral processing and value addition, Jason McPherson, Head of Sourcing and Business Development at Rand Refinery, will discuss the refinery’s regional expansion strategy and role in advancing Africa's gold beneficiation industry.

Zambia is similarly expanding formalization initiatives as part of its strategy to diversify beyond copper and build a stronger domestic gold industry. Government-led programs such as the planetGOLD Zambia initiative and Community Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Committees are improving access to training, finance, cooperative structures and responsible mining practices for artisanal producers.

Complementing these efforts, Makor Resources has developed MineHive, a digital platform that provides artisanal miners with technical knowledge, community engagement tools and access to responsible mining practices. Makor Resources CEO Brooke Bibeault is expected to discuss how digital innovation can accelerate ASM formalization while improving productivity, environmental performance and investor confidence across the sector.

Uganda is also advancing reforms to unlock greater value from its artisanal mining industry. Approximately 500,000 artisanal miners operate across the country, including around 90,000 gold miners, with much of the sector still operating informally. To improve mineral traceability and strengthen domestic value capture, the Bank of Uganda has launched a national gold purchasing program designed to support artisanal miners while expanding the country's official gold reserves.

The Uganda Chamber of Energy and Minerals, working alongside GIZ Uganda and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, is also implementing the TENT Grant Initiative, a UGX 800 million program running through October 2026 that aims to formalize at least 20 artisanal mining cooperatives through improved market access. At AMW 2026, Chamber CEO Humphrey Asiimwe is expected to provide an update on Uganda's formalization agenda and how the country is positioning its gold, graphite and rare earth sectors to meet rising global demand.

As governments and industry work to unlock greater value from artisanal mining, AMW 2026 will spotlight the partnerships, technologies and policy reforms shaping the sector's transition into the formal economy.