Economic feasibility of responsible small-scale gold mining

The present work continues by undertaking a realistic analysis of economic feasibility through a cash flow analysis (CFA) on various scenarios of investment strategy for the SSM business, considering the “minimum reserve” approach along with the traditional mining business strategy. The results show that the “minimum reserve” approach is always more attractive from an economic point of view, in terms of value of the project, rate of return of investment, and payback time. Finally, the most suitable profile for investors in the SSM business is discussed, and it is shown how small-scale investors and large corporations can fit into this approach.