Kyndykan was a young girl who was miraculously found alive 200 years ago by Yakut hunters near the Verkhoyansk Mountains in an ancestral settlement completely wiped out by smallpox.

The Future Minerals Summit will gather mining investors and government stakeholders to discuss opportunities and the future of the industry.

Burkina Faso produces 34 tonnes of artisanal gold per year, but only 300kg was formally exported in 2019 due to a lack of traceability and lower export taxes in neighbouring countries.

Illegal gold mining in the north Amazonian territory of Brazil's indigenous Munduruku people has led to more than half of several hundred people tested showing unsafe mercury levels.

The government is increasing efforts to diversify Botswana's economy, investing in science, tech and entrepreneurship to lessen a dependency on diamond mining.

"In two separate trials, we’ve used blockchain to exchange data and documents digitally, improving efficiency and transparency and reducing bureaucracy, risk and red tape," says BHP chief commercial officer.