Mapping Small-scale Mineral Production Networks: The Case of Alluvial Diamonds in Ghana

Abstract

In recent years, donors and certain governments have committed to formalizing artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) — low-tech, labour-intensive mineral extraction and processing. Few, however, are able to do so effectively because of a limited knowledge of how the sector operates, who it employs and where the commodities it mines are being channelled. This article argues that a radical reconceptualization of ASM will be needed if these challenges are to be overcome. As a starting point, it calls on donors and policy makers to adopt the Global Production Network (GPN) as a ‘lens’ for analysing the sector's organizational structures. Popular in geography scholarship, the GPN, though rarely used to study the intricacies of largely informal sectors such as ASM, could prove valuable here, aiding with the mapping of key production processes. In this article, the GPN is applied to Ghana's artisanal diamond mining sector, yielding valuable insights into its organization, the roles played by the different individuals who populate it, and the nature of the relationships between these individuals. Such information is key to designing more robust formalization and support strategies for ASM in Ghana; more generally, the exercise provides important lessons for other governments working to achieve similar goals.