Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining Without Mercury. In many countries, elemental mercury is used in artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Mercury is mixed with gold-containing materials, forming a mercury-gold amalgam which is then heated, vaporizing the mercury to obtain the gold. This process can be very dangerous and lead to significant ... Mining sites development have had a significant impact on local socioeconomic conditions, the environment, and sustainability. However, the transformation of camp-type artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sites with large influxes of miners from different regions has not been properly evaluated, owing to the closed nature of the ASGM sector. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), an industry that has been growing globally for the last 20 years, is a reality in most . LDC . and . developing countries with gold mineral potential. Like other mining activities, ASGM is cyclical, and