Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining

Eleanor Fisher; Sabine Luning; Lorenzo D'Angelo; Carlos HX Araujo; Luigi Arnaldi de Balme; Jorge Calvimontes; Esther van de Camp; Lúcia da Costa Ferreira; Cristiano Lanzano; Luciana Massaro; Alizèta Ouédraogo; Januária Pereira Mello; Robert J. Pijpers; Nii Obodai Provençal; Raíssa Resende de Moraes; Christophe Sawadogo; Marjo de Theije; Giorgio de Tomi; Margaret Tuhumwire; Ronald Twongyirwe

doi:10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.010

Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining

Eleanor Fisher, Sabine Luning, Lorenzo D'Angelo, Carlos HX Araujo, Luigi Arnaldi de Balme, Jorge Calvimontes, Esther van de Camp, Lúcia da Costa Ferreira, Cristiano Lanzano, Luciana Massaro, Alizèta Ouédraogo, Januária Pereira Mello, Robert J. Pijpers, Nii Obodai Provençal, Raíssa Resende de Moraes, Christophe Sawadogo, Marjo de Theije, Giorgio de Tomi, Margaret Tuhumwire, Ronald Twongyirwe

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Growth strategies in mining regions promote gold extraction based on industrial mining, associating Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) with persistent informality. Against this background, we consider how to approach transformations to sustainability in ASGM. Acknowledging how problematic this topic is for sustainability debates, given how ASGM is associated with a host of environmental and social problems, we argue that a justice lens demands we confront such challenges within the global politics of sustainability. This leads us to review advances in the study of ASGM, linked to debates on extractivism, resource materialities, and informality. We use the notion of gold lifeways to capture how the matter of mining shapes different worlds of extraction. We argue that consideration of the potential for transformations to sustainability needs to be grounded within the realities of ASGM. This necessitates giving value to miners’ knowledge(s), perspectives and interests, while recognising the plurality of mining futures. Nevertheless, we conclude that between the immediacy of precarious work and the structural barriers to change in ASGM, the challenges for transformation cannot be underestimated.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	190-200
Number of pages	11
Journal	Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
Volume	49
Issue number	April
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.010
Publication status	Published - 30 Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201 ) under the project ‘Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives’ (‘Gold Matters’) (2018–2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6 , 2020/07985-6 , 2019/09709-9 ).

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201) under the project ?Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives? (?Gold Matters?) (2018?2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6, 2020/07985-6, 2019/09709-9).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)

Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Funding

This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201 ) under the project ‘Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives’ (‘Gold Matters’) (2018–2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6 , 2020/07985-6 , 2019/09709-9 ). This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201) under the project ?Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives? (?Gold Matters?) (2018?2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6, 2020/07985-6, 2019/09709-9).

Funders	Funder number
Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute
Economic and Social Research Council
European Commission
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
Horizon 2020	462.17.201, 2018/50033-6, 2019/09709-9, 2020/07985-6
Horizon 2020
Institute for the Study of Social Change, University of Tasmania

VU Research Profile

Science for Sustainability

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10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.010

Persistent URL (handle)

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Cite this

Fisher, E., Luning, S., D'Angelo, L., Araujo, C. HX., Arnaldi de Balme, L., Calvimontes, J., van de Camp, E., da Costa Ferreira, L., Lanzano, C., Massaro, L., Ouédraogo, A., Mello, J. P., Pijpers, R. J., Obodai Provençal, N., Resende de Moraes, R., Sawadogo, C., de Theije, M., de Tomi, G., Tuhumwire, M., & Twongyirwe, R. (2021). Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 49(April), 190-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.010

@article{a61c078b70ed45d38a9e5bb9423ff2bb,

title = "Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining",

abstract = "Growth strategies in mining regions promote gold extraction based on industrial mining, associating Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) with persistent informality. Against this background, we consider how to approach transformations to sustainability in ASGM. Acknowledging how problematic this topic is for sustainability debates, given how ASGM is associated with a host of environmental and social problems, we argue that a justice lens demands we confront such challenges within the global politics of sustainability. This leads us to review advances in the study of ASGM, linked to debates on extractivism, resource materialities, and informality. We use the notion of gold lifeways to capture how the matter of mining shapes different worlds of extraction. We argue that consideration of the potential for transformations to sustainability needs to be grounded within the realities of ASGM. This necessitates giving value to miners{\textquoteright} knowledge(s), perspectives and interests, while recognising the plurality of mining futures. Nevertheless, we conclude that between the immediacy of precarious work and the structural barriers to change in ASGM, the challenges for transformation cannot be underestimated.",

author = "Eleanor Fisher and Sabine Luning and Lorenzo D'Angelo and Araujo, {Carlos HX} and {Arnaldi de Balme}, Luigi and Jorge Calvimontes and {van de Camp}, Esther and {da Costa Ferreira}, L{\'u}cia and Cristiano Lanzano and Luciana Massaro and Aliz{\`e}ta Ou{\'e}draogo and Mello, {Janu{\'a}ria Pereira} and Pijpers, {Robert J.} and {Obodai Proven{\c c}al}, Nii and {Resende de Moraes}, Ra{\'i}ssa and Christophe Sawadogo and {de Theije}, Marjo and {de Tomi}, Giorgio and Margaret Tuhumwire and Ronald Twongyirwe",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201 ) under the project {\textquoteleft}Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives{\textquoteright} ({\textquoteleft}Gold Matters{\textquoteright}) (2018–2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de S{\~a}o Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6 , 2020/07985-6 , 2019/09709-9 ). Funding Information: This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201) under the project ?Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives? (?Gold Matters?) (2018?2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6, 2020/07985-6, 2019/09709-9). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Author(s) Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

day = "30",

doi = "10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.010",

language = "English",

volume = "49",

pages = "190--200",

journal = "Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability",

issn = "1877-3435",

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Fisher, E, Luning, S, D'Angelo, L, Araujo, CHX, Arnaldi de Balme, L, Calvimontes, J, van de Camp, E, da Costa Ferreira, L, Lanzano, C, Massaro, L, Ouédraogo, A, Mello, JP, Pijpers, RJ, Obodai Provençal, N, Resende de Moraes, R, Sawadogo, C, de Theije, M, de Tomi, G, Tuhumwire, M & Twongyirwe, R 2021, 'Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining', Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, vol. 49, no. April, pp. 190-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.010

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining

AU - Fisher, Eleanor

AU - Luning, Sabine

AU - D'Angelo, Lorenzo

AU - Araujo, Carlos HX

AU - Arnaldi de Balme, Luigi

AU - Calvimontes, Jorge

AU - van de Camp, Esther

AU - da Costa Ferreira, Lúcia

AU - Lanzano, Cristiano

AU - Massaro, Luciana

AU - Ouédraogo, Alizèta

AU - Mello, Januária Pereira

AU - Pijpers, Robert J.

AU - Obodai Provençal, Nii

AU - Resende de Moraes, Raíssa

AU - Sawadogo, Christophe

AU - de Theije, Marjo

AU - de Tomi, Giorgio

AU - Tuhumwire, Margaret

AU - Twongyirwe, Ronald

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201 ) under the project ‘Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives’ (‘Gold Matters’) (2018–2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6 , 2020/07985-6 , 2019/09709-9 ). Funding Information: This work was supported by the Belmont Forum and NORFACE Joint Research Programme on Transformations to Sustainability, co-funded by DLR/BMBF, ESRC, FAPESP, ISC, NWO, VR, and the EU through Horizon 2020 (grant number: 462.17.201) under the project ?Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: Trans-regional and Multi-Actor Perspectives? (?Gold Matters?) (2018?2021). Eleanor Fisher and Cristiano Lanzano acknowledge the Nordic Africa Institute for financing open access publication. All co-authors from NEPAM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) and the Centre for Responsible Mining, Universidade de S?o Paulo, Brazil, acknowledge financial support from FAPESP (grant numbers 2018/50033-6, 2020/07985-6, 2019/09709-9). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s) Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2021/4/30

Y1 - 2021/4/30

N2 - Growth strategies in mining regions promote gold extraction based on industrial mining, associating Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) with persistent informality. Against this background, we consider how to approach transformations to sustainability in ASGM. Acknowledging how problematic this topic is for sustainability debates, given how ASGM is associated with a host of environmental and social problems, we argue that a justice lens demands we confront such challenges within the global politics of sustainability. This leads us to review advances in the study of ASGM, linked to debates on extractivism, resource materialities, and informality. We use the notion of gold lifeways to capture how the matter of mining shapes different worlds of extraction. We argue that consideration of the potential for transformations to sustainability needs to be grounded within the realities of ASGM. This necessitates giving value to miners’ knowledge(s), perspectives and interests, while recognising the plurality of mining futures. Nevertheless, we conclude that between the immediacy of precarious work and the structural barriers to change in ASGM, the challenges for transformation cannot be underestimated.

AB - Growth strategies in mining regions promote gold extraction based on industrial mining, associating Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) with persistent informality. Against this background, we consider how to approach transformations to sustainability in ASGM. Acknowledging how problematic this topic is for sustainability debates, given how ASGM is associated with a host of environmental and social problems, we argue that a justice lens demands we confront such challenges within the global politics of sustainability. This leads us to review advances in the study of ASGM, linked to debates on extractivism, resource materialities, and informality. We use the notion of gold lifeways to capture how the matter of mining shapes different worlds of extraction. We argue that consideration of the potential for transformations to sustainability needs to be grounded within the realities of ASGM. This necessitates giving value to miners’ knowledge(s), perspectives and interests, while recognising the plurality of mining futures. Nevertheless, we conclude that between the immediacy of precarious work and the structural barriers to change in ASGM, the challenges for transformation cannot be underestimated.

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ER -

Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

VU Research Profile

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

GOLD MATTERS: Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: A Multi-Actor and Trans-Regional Perspective

Transformations to sustainability: Processes, practices, and pathways

Gold Matters: Visualizing Mining Worlds

Ouro Surpreende A Gente

Cite this

Transforming matters. Sustaining gold lifeways in artisanal and small-scale mining

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

VU Research Profile

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

GOLD MATTERS: Sustainability Transformations in Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining: A Multi-Actor and Trans-Regional Perspective

Research output

Transformations to sustainability: Processes, practices, and pathways

Gold Matters: Visualizing Mining Worlds

Ouro Surpreende A Gente

Cite this