Responsible Sourcing and Child Labour in Mica Mining in South Asia

Global demand for mica is increasing due to heavy consumption of mica in the automobile, manufacturing, construction, and cosmetic industries. As per the Mica Market reports, the global Mica market is expanding and Asia Pacific dominates with a share of 40%. China is one of the leading producers and exporters of mica since 2020. Many popular mica companies are engaged in the production and extraction of mica and in other related business activities. Many beauty companies are under surveillance due to the involvement of child labour in mica mines. Unfortunately, many children are still engaged in mining work and many ‘ghost mines’ are functional in India and South Africa. This paper will present an overview of responsible mica sourcing, child labour in mica mines, related problems and their working conditions in South Asia. This article presents an bibliometric analysis of responsible sourcing and child labour in mica mines in the South Asian region.