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Title: | Defying the gloom: In search of the ‘golden’ practices of small-scale mining operations |
Authors: | Ofosu, G Sarpong, D |
Keywords: | artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM);formalised small-scale mining;environmental degradation;Ghana;land reclamation;organizing practices |
Issue Date: | 28-Oct-2022 |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Citation: | Ofosu, G. and Sarpong, D. (2023) 'Defying the gloom: In search of the ‘golden’ practices of small-scale mining operations', Environmental Science and Policy, 139, pp. 62 - 70. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2022.10.013. |
Abstract: | Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Dominant narratives on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) often portray mining regions as ‘informal’ zones that suffer massively from environmental degradation problems. Such insistence on the poor environmental performance of ASM zones has dovetailed with a lack of scholarly attention to some of the ‘golden’ environmental management practices taking place in some of these mining areas. In this paper, we explore how the operations of a formalised (registered) small-scale mining operator in Ghana, as objectified in its obligatory and ethical functions, contribute to reducing pollution and mine-degraded landscapes, which have long been viewed as the inevitable consequence of ASM. Emphasizing how the dynamic interplay between resources and environmental demands may come to support public policy, our study shows how mutually constituting demands on mining in highly differentiated contexts could translate into productive outcomes. Contrary to the popular perception that ASM operators are not good stewards of the environment, findings from our study suggest that these operators can be caretakers of the environment and local communities through land reclamation mechanisms. Localisation of labour could, however, contribute to more sustainable livelihoods in mining communities and help curb rising community tensions. |
Description: | Data Availability: Data will be made available on request. |
URI: | https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/25463 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.10.013 |
ISSN: | 1462-9011 |
Appears in Collections: | Brunel Business School Research Papers |
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FullText.pdf | Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). | 1.63 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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