frontier mining of gold labour transformation in Africa Article by Deborah Fahy Bryceson and Sara Geenen To be published in African Affairs 2016 ID: 485328
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Slide1
Artisanal
frontier mining of gold: labour transformation in AfricaArticle by Deborah Fahy Bryceson and Sara GeenenTo be published in African Affairs 2016Slide2
Introduction
African labour trajectories Trajectory of African artisanal mining
Artisanal frontier mining
Labour transformation Tanzania and Democratic Republic of CongoConclusion Future trajectories2Slide3
3
Choice of work in ‘modernist’ societyChoice of work in ‘traditional’ societyAfrican labour trajectoriesSlide4
Occupational patterns have
changedStructural adjustment => loss of formal jobsDecline in value of agricultural products => deagrarianizationUrbanization => expansion of services sector4African
labour trajectoriesSlide5
Labour-intensive mineral extraction
on the basis of minimal capital investment, the use of manual tools and devices or simple portable machinery5Trajectory of African artisanal miningSlide6
6
Trajectory of African artisanal miningThemes in ASM researchSlide7
7
Trajectory of African artisanal miningThemes in ASM researchSlide8
8
Trajectory of African artisanal miningThemes in ASM researchSlide9
9
Trajectory of African artisanal miningEconomic livelihoods
Informality
ConflictIndividual livelihood choices, push-pull factors, poverty and income, diversification
Informality
and
illegality
,
formalization
,
governance
, relations
with
the state
Conflict
minerals
,
financing
conflicts
, human
rights
abuses
and
forced
labourSlide10
10
Trajectory of African artisanal miningThemes in ASM researchSlide11
11
Academic
research S
ectoral dynamics
Artisanal
frontier
mining
Trajectory
of
African
a
rtisanal
miningSlide12
Turner (1893): American western frontierArea of
untapped potential, new democratic society based on hard-earned efforts of migrant settlersImposition of central government, resistance by minersKopytoff (1989): pre-colonial African frontiersPolitical expansion of African kingdoms into
peripheral spaces
Imposition of power, culture, values of core on periphery12Artisanal frontier miningSlide13
Transformation
of work activity13Artisanal frontier miningSlide14
Placer deposits: panning
for gold Miners adapt to changing mineral availability through teamwork and specialized division of labourUnderground deposits: hardrock excavation14
Labour
transformationSlide15
Placer
miningPanning and sluicing techniquesLittle investment, small returnsUnderground miningHard-rock excavation
and processingInvestment in manpower, money
and time15Labour transformationSlide16
Age, level of education, class
Physically fit, risk taking menGender Miners start with little experience, social levelling effect, make careers, specializationProfessional group16
Labour
transformationSlide17
17Slide18
1. Social
Breaking away from parents’ and social controlUrban, cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic environmentLow entry barriers, social levelling2. PsychologicalMasculine identity and statusSpending
patternsConspicuous
consumption and individual wealth18Labour transformationSlide19
3. Economic
Unpredictable earningsHope of striking it richCompelling luckIndependence and freedom highy valued19
Labour
transformationSlide20
‘Wild West’Weak state presence
Miners have room for exercising agency and collective self-governanceProfessional norms and governance20
Labour transformationSlide21
Professional
norms and governanceHonesty, trustworthiness, responsibility and loyaltyInternal ‘order of business’Managing
conflicts between pits
Committees, associations, cooperatives21Slide22
Rush sitesBoom sites
Settled sites 22Labour transformationSlide23
Artisanal mining may
be an individual livelihood choice, but it also initiates a process in which individuals’ skill acquisition, economic exchange, psychological reorientation and social positioning evolve towards a shared occupational identity and professional norms
taking shape largely outside
of state regulation23Labour transformationSlide24
Artisanal
mining may be an individual livelihood choice, but it also initiates a process in which individuals’ skill acquisition, economic exchange, psychological reorientation and social positioning evolve towards
a shared occupational identity
and professional norms taking shape largely outside of state regulation24Labour transformation
Labour
transformationSlide25
Artisanal mining may
be an individual livelihood choice, but it also initiates a process in which individuals’ skill acquisition, economic exchange, psychological reorientation and social positioning evolve towards a shared occupational identity and professional norms
taking shape largely outside
of state regulation25Labour transformationTanzania
Democratic
Republic
of CongoSlide26
26
Tanzania and Democratic Republic of Congowww.mapsofworld.comUnited NationsSlide27
Tanzania
DRC1970sStructural adjustment: agrarian production declineStructural adjustment: large-scale mining decline
1980sArtisanal
mining allowed on restricted scaleArtisanal mining allowed on restricted scale1990sEconomic liberalization: artisanal mining boom, large-scale mining boom
Large-
scale
mining
decline
War:
artisanal
mining
boom, conflict
minerals
Legislation
Investor-
friendly
Artisanal
miners
:
licenses
(PML)
Investor-
friendly
Artisanal
miners
:
licenses
Practice
Few PML
holders
,
difficult
to
access
license
Few
artisanal
mining
zones,
difficult
to
access
license
Low state
capacity
Low state
capacity
Customary
chiefs
Future
Priority
to
large-
scale
mining
Artisanal
mining
reform (nat/
internat
),
priority
to
large-
scale
mining
27
Tanzania
and
Democratic
Republic
of CongoSlide28
Frontier’s temporality
Eventual demise due to changing physical, economic and/or political circumstancesFuture?Move to legal artisanal mining zonesContinue work adjacent to large-scale mining (legally
or illegally)Alternative
livelihoods (subsistence farming)Invest in alternative economic activities (business)Invest in semi industrial mining28ConclusionSlide29
29Slide30
30
Thank you!Sara.geenen@uantwerpen.be