Since 1880, güirisería, or artisanal mining, has been the main economic activity in the municipalities that make up the so-called mining triangle in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) of Nicaragua. Artisanal gold extraction begins with the gathering of auriferous mineral from abandoned mines, external outcrop, or river sediments. This is done manually, sometimes with the aid of explosives.The current situation in the mining triangle, where industrial mining and güirisería coexist reinforces high poverty levels and the deterioration of human and environmental health.
