A new means of governing artisanal and small-scale mining? Fairtrade gold and development in Tanzania

Abstract

This paper offers a critical analysis of the most contemporary development intervention concerned with ameliorating the problems of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) in sub-Saharan Africa, namely the emergence of Fairtrade Gold. Through an analysis of Fairtrade Gold in Tanzania, this paper argues that despite Fairtrade׳s promises to ASM operators of better prices, its potential efficacy is compromised by the informality of local gold markets and a deeply-rooted mistrust of development intervention more broadly. However, its greatest contribution may lie elsewhere in the drive for a social and environmental justice framework that privileges increased recognition for small-scale gold miners in the global South.