Orpaillage

The history of artisanal gold mining in West Africa is extensive and so is the the orpaillage nowadays. During the 14th - 18th century, the majority of the produced gold was artisanally mined in West Africa and traded worldwide. In some areas people make a living on farming whereas here the whole family is involved in private small scale gold mining operations. These operations involve vertical shafts and galleries, which sometimes are impressively deep. The excavated rocks are then transported to a site where small crushers are operating. And in the end, the material is put through sluice boxes and panned along the waterways.

Orpaillage

Vertical shaft

Malian sluice box

Panning along the river