遏制小型采矿的环境影响的唯一有效办法是有关政府承认小型采矿是一个一体化的、有土地使用权的当地采矿行业的一个正当组成部分，而且享有与较大型经营一样的环境权利和义务．在近十年期间，发展机构及其它机构一直有人提议把小型（包括手工）采矿视为总发展议程的组成部分． The only effective way of containing the environmental impact of small-scale mining is for the government concerned to recognize that small-scale mining is an integral part of an integrated local mining industry that has land-use rights and enjoys the same environmental rights and obligations as larger operations. During the past decade, development agencies and others have been proposing the inclusion of small-scale (including artisanal) mining as an integral part of the overall development agenda.