Madagascar has changed in the last several years...
Most of the mining we saw in Ilakaka is small-scale pit mining that relies on muscle power rather than horsepower. There are a few mechanized operations. This may change rapidly, as recent changes in the mining code were made specifically to encourage large-scale capital investment. Couple that with the rapid depletion of easily-mined, near-surface deposits, and the future seems to lie with mechanization. Currently, there are rumors about diamonds found in the Ilakaka region. In a country where a stolen cow can make headlines, this is big news indeed.