Summary:
- This article reports on a study that used machine learning to analyze satellite imagery and identify over 1.8 million previously undetected small-scale gold mining sites across 90 countries.
- The researchers developed an algorithm that can automatically detect and map small-scale gold mining sites, which are difficult to identify using traditional methods.
- The findings suggest that small-scale gold mining is much more widespread globally than previously thought, with significant environmental and social impacts that need to be addressed.