The political economy of transitory mining in Ghana: Understanding the trajectories, triumphs, and tribulations of artisanal and small-scale operators

While artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) and its impact on socio-economic development have produced voluminous studies, knowledge of the underlying migratory dynamics of artisanal miners remains incomplete. Using Ghana as a case study, we explore the trajectories, adaptation responses (“triumphs”), and implications (“tribulations”) associated with ASM operators. Based on in-person interviews, participant observations, and mining-site visits conducted from 2005 to 2012, the study reveals that several factors influence how migrant miners strategically “hop” from one mine to another – a phenomenon we describe as “transitory mining” – to exploit low-yield gold (and, to a lesser extent, diamond) deposits. We find that miners are forging strong bonds with host communities by sending pre-mining negotiation teams and employing extended family networks to arrange mutually beneficial agreements with local actors. These strategies and techniques lower the entry barriers into ASM by facilitating access to mineral-bearing lands. Even though transitory mining has increased mineral discoveries and personal incomes, we examine how such “triumphs” are hindered by vexing “tribulations”. First, there are growing human security threats posed by armed thugs who prey on miners and mining communities as well as police raids of illegal mining that often involve violence. Second, the deleterious environmental impact of transitory mining continues unabated.