Illegal mining is mining activity without state permission, in particular in absence of land rights, mining license, exploration or mineral transportation permit. Illegal natural resource extraction becomes pressing when global mineral prices are soaring.
Illegal mining can be a subsistence activity, as is the case with artisanal mining, or it can belong to large-scale organized crime,spearheaded by illegal mining syndicates. Despite strategic developments towards "responsible mining", even big companies can be involved in (partially) illegal mineral digging and extraction, if only on the financing side.
America
Illegal gold mining in Latin America is a particular concern because of the enormous rate of deforestation and environmental degradation (through mercury and other chemicals that are routinely used in gold mining) that accompanies it.