IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jrpoli/v47y2016icp134-141.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining: Whither the workforce?

Author

Listed:
  • Verbrugge, Boris
  • Besmanos, Beverly

Abstract

This article develops a critique of ongoing formalization efforts in the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sector. By departing from erroneous assumptions about a homogeneous ASM-sector, and by focusing on the recognition of mineral property rights, these formalization efforts tend to overlook the massive informal ASMworkforce, and the complex sets of organizational arrangements in which it is involved. On the basis of a critical case study in the Southern Philippines, the article then identifies some of the opportunities and challenges associated with moving towards more inclusive formalization efforts, which target both mineral tenure- as well as labor-relations.

Suggested Citation

  • Verbrugge, Boris & Besmanos, Beverly, 2016. "Formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining: Whither the workforce?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 134-141.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:47:y:2016:i:c:p:134-141
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2016.01.008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420716300034
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.resourpol.2016.01.008?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. Boris Verbrugge, 2015. "The Economic Logic of Persistent Informality: Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in the Southern Philippines," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(5), pages 1023-1046, September.
    2. Verbrugge, Boris, 2015. "Decentralization, Institutional Ambiguity, and Mineral Resource Conflict in Mindanao, Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 449-460.
    3. Roy Maconachie & Gavin Hilson, 2011. "Artisanal Gold Mining: A New Frontier in Post-Conflict Sierra Leone?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(4), pages 595-616.
    4. Gavin Hilson & Mark Hirons & Roy Maconachie, 2011. "Re‐Agrarianising Livelihoods In Post‐Conflict Sierra Leone? Mineral Wealth And Rural Change In Artisanal And Small‐Scale Mining Communities," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(8), pages 1054-1067, November.
    5. Gavin Hilson & Mark Hirons & Rachel Perks, 2011. "‘Can I Go?’—Exiting The Artisanal Mining Sector In The Democratic Republic Of Congo," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(8), pages 1115-1127, November.
    6. Sylvia Ojukutu-Macauley & Andrew Keili, 2008. "Citizens, subjects or a dual mandate? Artisanal miners, 'supporters' and the resource scramble in Sierra Leone," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(5), pages 513-530.
    7. Bryceson, Deborah Fahy & Jønsson, Jesper Bosse, 2010. "Gold Digging Careers in Rural East Africa: Small-Scale Miners' Livelihood Choices," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 379-392, March.
    8. Siegel, Shefa & Veiga, Marcello M., 2009. "Artisanal and small-scale mining as an extralegal economy: De Soto and the redefinition of "formalization"," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1-2), pages 51-56.
    9. Sabine Luning, 2008. "Liberalisation of the Gold Mining Sector in Burkina Faso," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(117), pages 387-401, September.
    10. Gavin Hilson & Mark Hirons & Laurent E. Cartier & Michael Bürge, 2011. "Agriculture And Artisanal Gold Mining In Sierra Leone: Alternatives Or Complements?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(8), pages 1080-1099, November.
    11. Cartier, Laurent E., 2009. "Livelihoods and production cycles in the Malagasy artisanal ruby-sapphire trade: A critical examination," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1-2), pages 80-86.
    12. Spiegel, Samuel J., 2012. "Governance Institutions, Resource Rights Regimes, and the Informal Mining Sector: Regulatory Complexities in Indonesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 189-205.
    13. 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.
    14. Eleanor Fisher, 2008. "Artisanal gold mining at the margins of mineral resource governance: a case from Tanzania," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 199-213.
    15. Gavin Hilson & Mark Hirons & Gavin Hilson, 2011. "Artisanal Mining, Smallholder Farming And Livelihood Diversification In Rural Sub‐Saharan Africa: An Introduction," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(8), pages 1031-1041, November.
    16. 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.
    17. Roy Maconachie & Gavin Hilson, 2011. "Safeguarding livelihoods or exacerbating poverty? Artisanal mining and formalization in West Africa," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35, pages 293-303, November.
    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. P. Santi & J. Manning & W. Zhou & P. Meza & P. Colque, 2021. "Geologic hazards of the Ocoña river valley, Peru and the influence of small-scale mining," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 108(3), pages 2679-2700, September.
    2. Martinez, Gerardo & Smith, Nicole M. & Malone, Aaron, 2021. "Formalization is just the beginning: Analyzing post-formalization successes and challenges in Peru's small-scale gold mining sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    3. Bansah, K.J., 2019. "From diurnal to nocturnal: Surviving in a chaotic artisanal and small-scale mining sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    4. Lara-Rodríguez, Juan Sebastián, 2021. "How institutions foster the informal side of the economy: Gold and platinum mining in Chocó, Colombia," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    5. Kumah, Richard, 2022. "Artisanal and small-scale mining formalization challenges in Ghana: Explaining grassroots perspectives," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    6. Corbett, Tony & O'Faircheallaigh, Ciaran & Regan, Anthony, 2017. "‘Designated areas’ and the regulation of artisanal and small-scale mining," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 393-401.
    7. Yakovleva, Natalia & Vazquez-Brust, Diego Alfonso, 2018. "Multinational mining enterprises and artisanal small-scale miners: From confrontation to cooperation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 52-62.
    8. Mnwana, Sonwabile & Bowman, Andrew, 2018. "Mine mechanisation and distributional conflict in rural South Africa," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 227-237.
    9. Shitima, Christina & Suykens, Bert, 2023. "Formalization of sand mining in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    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. Hilson, Gavin, 2020. "The ‘Zambia Model’: A blueprint for formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining in sub-Saharan Africa?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    12. Camba, Alvin, 2021. "The unintended consequences of national regulations: Large-scale-small-scale relations in Philippine and Indonesian nickel mining," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    13. Huggins, Christopher & Kinyondo, Abel, 2019. "Resource nationalism and formalization of artisanal and small-scale mining in Tanzania: Evidence from the tanzanite sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    14. 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.
    15. Laing, Timothy, 2019. "Small man goes where the large fears to tread: Mining in Guyana: 1990-2018," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    16. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Over-spilling institutions: The political ecology of ‘greening’ the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 438-453.
    17. ShakorShahabi, Reza & Qarahasanlou, Ali Nouri & Azimi, Seyed Reza & Mottahedi, Adel, 2021. "Application of data mining in Iran's Artisanal and Small-Scale mines challenges analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Bester, Vidette & Groenewald, Liela, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and artisanal mining: Towards a fresh South African perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    19. Ruth Zárate Rueda & Yolima Ivonne Beltrán Villamizar & Luis Eduardo Becerra Ardila, 2023. "Neo-Extractivism and Formalization of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining—The Case of the Santurbán Moorland (Colombia)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-16, July.

    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. De Jong, Terah U. & Sauerwein, Titus, 2021. "State-owned minerals, village-owned land: How a shared property rights framework helped formalize artisanal diamond miners in Côte d’Ivoire between 1986 and 2016," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    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. Van Bockstael, Steven, 2019. "Land grabbing “from below”? Illicit artisanal gold mining and access to land in post-conflict Côte d’Ivoire," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 904-914.
    5. Boris Verbrugge, 2015. "The Economic Logic of Persistent Informality: Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining in the Southern Philippines," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(5), pages 1023-1046, September.
    6. Rodriguez, Luz A. & Velez, María Alejandra & Pfaff, Alexander, 2021. "Leaders’ distributional & efficiency effects in collective responses to policy: Lab-in-field experiments with small-scale gold miners in Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    7. 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.
    8. Baffour-Kyei, Vasco & Mensah, Amos & Owusu, Victor & Horlu, Godwin S.A.K., 2021. "Artisanal small-scale mining and livelihood assets in rural southern Ghana," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    9. Smith, Nicole M. & Smith, Jessica M. & John, Zira Q. & Teschner, Benjamin A., 2017. "Promises and perceptions in the Guianas: The making of an artisanal and small-scale mining reserve," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 49-56.
    10. 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.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. Hook, Andrew, 2019. "Over-spilling institutions: The political ecology of ‘greening’ the small-scale gold mining sector in Guyana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 438-453.
    14. Jeroen Cuvelier, 2014. "Work and Masculinity in Katanga’s Artisanal Mines," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 49(2), pages 3-26.
    15. Tschakert, Petra, 2016. "Shifting Discourses of Vilification and the Taming of Unruly Mining Landscapes in Ghana," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 123-132.
    16. Martinez, Gerardo & Smith, Nicole M. & Malone, Aaron, 2021. "Formalization is just the beginning: Analyzing post-formalization successes and challenges in Peru's small-scale gold mining sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    17. Amidu Kalokoh & Lada V. Kochtcheeva, 2022. "Governing the artisanal gold mining sector in the Mano River Union: A comparative study of Liberia and Sierra Leone," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(7), pages 1398-1413, October.
    18. Geenen, Sara & Stoop, Nik & Verpoorten, Marijke, 2021. "How much do artisanal miners earn? An inquiry among Congolese gold miners," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    19. 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).
    20. Kotsadam, Andreas & Tolonen, Anja, 2016. "African Mining, Gender, and Local Employment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 325-339.

    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:47:y:2016:i:c:p:134-141. 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.