“Small in size, but big in impact”: Socio-environmental reforms for sustainable artisanal and small-scale mining

Owusu, Obed; Bansah, Kenneth Joseph; Mensah, Albert Kobina

doi:10.1016/j.jsm.2019.02.001

Cited by 61 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Indeed, Tschakert's (a) empirical study showed that the need to accumulate capital for starting a trading business was one of the major reasons for galamsey mining within rural communities in Ghana. The significance of this ASM contribution becomes more apparent if placed in context, as the ASM sector accounts for nearly 40% of the entire gold produced in Ghana (Owusu et al, ).…”

Section: Artisanal Small‐scale Mining and Local Livelihoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One recent campaign was dubbed #StopGalamsey, which was initiated by City FM (a local radio station in Accra) and supported by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), think tanks, civil society organizations (CSOs), and non‐governmental organizations (Hilson, ). These kinds of campaigns compelled the government to ban all ASM activities from March 2017 to December 2018 (Owusu et al, ). As such, the ban is clearly a part of the large process of a top‐down formalization policy by the government meant to address the socio‐environmental problems caused by ASM and to ensure that the sector contributes to sustainable development (Geenen, ; Pein, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, Operation Vanguard has successfully arrested 1,129 illegal miners and destroyed 7,000 pieces of illegal mining equipment, leading to a 75% success rate in the mission to clamp down on galamsey activities (Pein, ). Although the ban was initially expected to last for 6 months, it lasted nearly 2 years and was only lifted for registered ASM in December 2018 (Owusu et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…there is now an emerging consensus that the formalization of the sector would not only allow for these associated problems to be addressed but also ensures that the sector contributes America (Hilson, 2017). It is estimated that about 30 million people in more than 70 countries around the world are directly engaged in ASM (Singo & Seguin, 2018;Owusu, Bansah, & Mensah, 2019). ASM is usually thought of as an informal poverty driven activity that involves rudimentary techniques of mineral extraction, hazardous working conditions, low capital investment and extensive manual labor (Hilson, 2002;Teschner, 2012).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Criminalization of “galamsey” and livelihoods in Ghana: Limits and consequences

Tuokuu

Idemudia

Bawelle

et al. 2020

Natural Resources Forum

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The fact that the artisanal and small‐scale mining (ASM) sector in Ghana is driven largely by poverty means that the sector is a major source of livelihood for people in mining communities across the country. However, given the various social and environmental problems associated with the ASM sector, there is now an emerging consensus that the formalization of the sector would not only allow for these associated problems to be addressed but also ensures that the sector contributes to sustainable development and safeguard the livelihood of local communities. While a large body of extant literature has examined the challenges and opportunities facing the process of formalization, the question of the criminalization of the sector and its consequences for local livelihood has received only limited attention. Drawing from primary data collected during fieldwork in Ghana, this study examined the livelihood implications of the ban on galamsey in the Tarkwa‐Nsuaem Municipality in South‐Western Ghana from the perspectives of local communities and other key stakeholders. The study reveals that the ban on galamsey has imposed significant socio‐economic hardships on the people and appears to be entrenching poverty rather than sustainable development. The study considers the theoretical and practical implications of the findings for sustainable livelihood enhancement in developing countries.

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Section: Artisanal Small‐scale Mining and Local Livelihoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Criminalization of “galamsey” and livelihoods in Ghana: Limits and consequences

Tuokuu

Idemudia

Bawelle

et al. 2020

Natural Resources Forum

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“…The purchasing power generated by this sector can be used to reduce poverty of the Garimpeiros but also for the local community (Owusu et al 2019). There is always a chance of gaining wealth by finding a large amount of gold.…”

Section: Case Study-qualitative Descriptions Of the Social States Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Capability of social life cycle assessment for analyzing the artisanal small-scale gold mining sector—case study in the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil

Springer

Peregovich

Schmidt

2020

Int J Life Cycle Assess

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Purpose Gold extraction in the Amazonian rainforest is accompanied by ecological threats and social grievances, but at the same time, the artisanal small-scale gold mining sector (ASGM) provides a livelihood for many people. To address this tradeoff, this paper analyzed the social aspects and their possible relations by conducting a case study based on a Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA). This study seeks to determine whether SLCA is capable of reflecting the sector. Method A literature-based guideline was used for collecting primary data during several field trips to the Tapajós Region in Brazil. This research instrument constituted the basis for information-oriented interviews and on-site observations. The SLCA categories used in this study were based on the United Nations Environment Programme and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (UNEP/SETAC) guidelines and the categories in the Fairmined Standard. In addition, secondary data obtained from the literature were used to provide insights into the sector. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with both deductive and inductive approaches. Results and discussion This study described the social aspects of the ASGM sector in the Tapajós Region, including the absence of the state, the illegality and informality of mining operations, the remote and rural area, and the organizational structure. In addition, the extraction methods, poor working conditions, and difficult living conditions were considered. Certain characteristics of the industry like unstable payments, worker movements, and low education levels were recognized, and thus, the relations among the social categories and rebound effects were identified. Several issues were proven to be key factors: unstable payments, autonomy, and the rebound effects of excavators. Complex relations among social issues but also towards ecological and economic issues do exist. The suitability of using the SLCA to reflect the ASGM sector was tested on this basis. Conclusion In some respects, the SLCA had limitations, e.g., due to the nonlinear relation between working hours and the amount of extracted gold. The impacts of technology depend on the underlying definition that is used. The current lack of cause-effect models impedes the assessment of an overall picture that considers the relations among the social aspects and other elements of sustainability. A holistic view must be applied if ecological problems are to be solved.

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Navigating access to golden lands: Gender roles and constraints of women in artisanal and small‐scale mining operations in north‐western Ghana

Baddianaah

2023

Geography and Environment

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The daily lives of female artisanal and small‐scale miners revolve around an array of complex and labour‐driven activities. The complexities and labour demands vary depending on the type of artisanal and small‐scale mining involved, the underground pit (ghetto) or surface mining. Few studies have explored how gender roles manifest in the two major mining types to inform policy on the creation of a gendered mining environment for women. This paper fills the lacuna in the literature by investigating gender roles and the consequential effects on female artisanal miners' daily lives and practices along the underground pit and surface mining. The liberal feminist theoretical lens is employed as a framework. Data were sourced through field observations and in‐depth interviews with 13 lead miners (men) and 67 female miners in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Findings show that sociocultural marginalisation of women is predominant in underground pit/ghetto mining. Women are content to work in surface mining operations and can form gangs to operate independently; nevertheless, sociocultural framings have limited women's space and access to mineralised concessions. The study argues that steps towards promoting gender equality in artisanal and small‐scale mining should explore a gendered mineralised concessions distribution; thus, the distribution of mining concessions under the community mining project by the government of Ghana should be gender‐sensitive.

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“Small in size, but big in impact”: Socio-environmental reforms for sustainable artisanal and small-scale mining

Cited by 61 publications

References 16 publications

Criminalization of “galamsey” and livelihoods in Ghana: Limits and consequences

Criminalization of “galamsey” and livelihoods in Ghana: Limits and consequences

Capability of social life cycle assessment for analyzing the artisanal small-scale gold mining sector—case study in the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil

Navigating access to golden lands: Gender roles and constraints of women in artisanal and small‐scale mining operations in north‐western Ghana

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