Some 1 million children work in artisanal and small-scale mines that rely on basic techniques and often belong to the "informal sector" that avoids government regulation...At great risk, children dig pits and work underground, haul and crush ore, and are exposed to toxic mercury used to separate out the gold...Much of this work is prohibited under international law for anyone under 18. Many gold industry actors have recently been keen to show their commitment to ethical business, notably through creating gold-specific voluntary standards...However, child labour in artisanal gold mining has received little attention...A boycott of gold mined with child labour will not solve the problem - and would hurt communities that depend on mining. Rather, companies should contribute to efforts to end hazardous child labour and improve access to education. In line with UN Guiding Principles, companies should implement due diligence to ensure they don't benefit from child labour directly or indirectly.