In some countries, gold prospecting can be not only an industrial activity, but also a tourist attraction or hobby. Antonina Levashenko, Head of the International Best Practices Analysis Department at the Gaidar Institute, spoke to RIA Novosti about specifics of such activity in different countries.
“In some countries, small-scale alluvial gold mining—gold panning—is possible, for example, as a tourist activity or as a hobby without the subsequent goal of large sales,” shared Antonina Levashenko.
In particular, in Colombia, manual panning of gold sands is allowed in the volumes established by the state, but this requires registration with the municipality. In New Zealand, there are special areas where gold can be searched for in streams and rivers without special permission, including using metal detectors, shovels and picks.
A similar practice exists in certain regions of Canada and Finland, but the rules differ depending on the territory.
According to data provided by Antonina Levashenko, about 20 mn people in 80 countries around the world are engaged in small-scale manual gold mining today.