IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jrpoli/v69y2020ics0301420720309272.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Tantalum supply from artisanal and small-scale mining: A mineral economic evaluation of coltan production and trade dynamics in Africa's Great Lakes region

Author

Listed:
  • Schütte, Philip
  • Näher, Uwe

Abstract

The global significance of artisanal and small-scale mining of certain mineral commodities implies the need for evaluating this production component as a potential long-term source of supply, in conjunction with production from industrial mining operations. The tantalum sector is an important pioneer in this regard, as artisanal ‘coltan’ ore – mainly extracted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda – has represented the world's major source of tantalum over the past decade. The lack of mineral economic data pertaining to artisanal coltan extraction and trade in Africa's Great Lakes region adds to supply uncertainty while also impeding local mine business planning, investment and sector development. Addressing this information deficit, this study presents an overview on a range of mineral economic parameters that form the framework for coltan extraction and trade in the region. To this end, we evaluate coltan resources and ore bodies, grades and processing features, as well as recent production and export developments in the DRC and Rwanda. Based on these findings, we then discuss mineral economic implications that are relevant to consider for artisanal coltan supply on the background of local and international market developments. These implications refer to the socio-economic viability of coltan mining at different price levels as well as resilience in the local supply chain. Finally, in order to stimulate opportunities for artisanal coltan sourcing in the long term, we propose a concept that integrates mineral economic data acquisition and dissemination into industry initiatives on responsible supply chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Schütte, Philip & Näher, Uwe, 2020. "Tantalum supply from artisanal and small-scale mining: A mineral economic evaluation of coltan production and trade dynamics in Africa's Great Lakes region," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:69:y:2020:i:c:s0301420720309272
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101896
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420720309272
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resourpol.2020.101896?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stoop, Nik & Kilosho Buraye , Janvier & Verpoorten, Marijke, 2016. "Relocation, reorientation, or confrontation? Insights from a representative survey among artisanal miners in Kamituga, South Kivu," IOB Working Papers 2016.09, Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB).
    2. Gardiner, Nicholas J. & Sykes, John P. & Trench, Allan & Robb, Laurence J., 2015. "Tin mining in Myanmar: Production and potential," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(P2), pages 219-233.
    3. Hilson, Gavin & Hilson, Abigail & Maconachie, Roy, 2018. "Opportunity or necessity? Conceptualizing entrepreneurship at African small-scale mines," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 286-302.
    4. Geenen, Sara, 2012. "A dangerous bet: The challenges of formalizing artisanal mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 322-330.
    5. David Ovadia, 2015. "Improving access to Africa’s geological information through the “Billion Dollar Map” project," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 28(3), pages 117-121, November.
    6. Geenen, Sara, 2014. "Dispossession, displacement and resistance: Artisanal miners in a gold concession in South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 90-99.
    7. Prno, Jason & Scott Slocombe, D., 2012. "Exploring the origins of ‘social license to operate’ in the mining sector: Perspectives from governance and sustainability theories," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 346-357.
    8. Amankwah, R.K. & Anim-Sackey, C., 2003. "Strategies for sustainable development of the small-scale gold and diamond mining industry of Ghana," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3-4), pages 131-138.
    9. Hilson, Gavin, 2009. "Small-scale mining, poverty and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa: An overview," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1-2), pages 1-5.
    10. Childs, John, 2014. "A new means of governing artisanal and small-scale mining? Fairtrade gold and development in Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 128-136.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. HIGASHIDA Keisaku & MURAKAMI Shinsuke & SHINKUMA Takayoshi, 2022. "Effect of Trade Restrictive Provisions with Due-diligence on Bilateral Trade Flows: The case of the US regulation on conflict minerals," Discussion papers 22054, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fernando Morante-Carballo & Néstor Montalván-Burbano & Maribel Aguilar-Aguilar & Paúl Carrión-Mero, 2022. "A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Research on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-29, July.
    2. Katz-Lavigne, Sarah, 2020. "Distributional impact of corporate extraction and (un)authorised clandestine mining at and around large-scale copper- and cobalt-mining sites in DR Congo," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    3. Kilosho Buraye, Janvier & Stoop, Nik & Verpoorten, Marijke, 2017. "Defusing the social minefield of gold sites in Kamituga, South Kivu. From legal pluralism to the re-making of institutions?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 356-368.
    4. Hilson, Gavin & Hilson, Abigail & Maconachie, Roy, 2018. "Opportunity or necessity? Conceptualizing entrepreneurship at African small-scale mines," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 286-302.
    5. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Fluid formalities: Insights on small-scale gold mining dynamics, informal practices, and mining governance in Guyana," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 324-338.
    6. Geenen, Sara, 2014. "Dispossession, displacement and resistance: Artisanal miners in a gold concession in South-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 90-99.
    7. Francis Xavier Dery Tuokuu & Uwafiokun Idemudia & Eugene B. G Bawelle & John Bosco Baguri Sumani, 2020. "Criminalization of “galamsey” and livelihoods in Ghana: Limits and consequences," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(1), pages 52-65, February.
    8. Nik Stoop & Janvier Kilosho Buraye & Marijke Verpoorten, 2016. "Relocation, reorientation, or confrontation? Insights from a representative survey among artisanal miners in Kamituga, South-Kivu," Working Papers of LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance 573254, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance.
    9. Keovilignavong, Oulavanh, 2019. "Mining governance dilemma and impacts: A case of gold mining in Phu-Hae, Lao PDR," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 141-150.
    10. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "The multidimensionality of exclusion in the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana: Institutional reform, landlordism, and mineral uncertainty," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 1-1.
    11. Rejoice Selorm Wireko-Gyebi & Michael Osei Asibey & Owusu Amponsah & Rudith Sylvana King & Imoro Braimah & Godfred Darko & Anne Mette Lykke, 2020. "Perception of Small-Scale Miners on Interventions to Eradicate Illegal Small-Scale Mining in Ghana," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, October.
    12. Hilson, Gavin & Sauerwein, Titus & Owen, John, 2020. "Large and artisanal scale mine development: The case for autonomous co-existence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    13. Verbrugge, Boris & Besmanos, Beverly, 2016. "Formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining: Whither the workforce?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 134-141.
    14. Kilosho, Janvier & Stoop, Nik & Verpoorten, Marijke, 2015. "The social minefield of gold digging in South-Kivu, DRC. The case of Kamituga," IOB Analyses & Policy Briefs 10, Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB).
    15. Maclin, Beth J. & Kelly, Jocelyn T.D. & Perks, Rachel & Vinck, Patrick & Pham, Phuong, 2017. "Moving to the mines: Motivations of men and women for migration to artisanal and small-scale mining sites in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 115-122.
    16. Itohan Otoijamun & Moses Kigozi & Sikiru Ottan Abdulraman & Adelana Rasak Adetunji & Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, 2021. "Fostering the Sustainability of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) of Barite in Nasarawa State, Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, May.
    17. Takam Tiamgne, Xavier & Kalaba, Felix K. & Nyirenda, Vincent R., 2022. "Mining and socio-ecological systems: A systematic review of Sub-Saharan Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    18. Salas-Urviola, Fernando B. & Calsina-Paricahua, Lesmes G. & Vilca-Salas, Ayde C., 2021. "Analysis of the formalization process of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM): Case region Puno-Peru," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    19. Juliana Segura-Salazar & Luís Marcelo Tavares, 2018. "Sustainability in the Minerals Industry: Seeking a Consensus on Its Meaning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-38, May.
    20. Sauerwein, Titus, 2020. "Gold mining and development in Côte d’Ivoire: Trajectories, opportunities and oversights," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:69:y:2020:i:c:s0301420720309272. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/30467 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.