Mechanisation-Alluvial-Artisanal-Diamond-Mining

7 FinAL ThouGHTSThere are examples from around the world whereartisanal miners have brought themselves from themost basic of operations to running proper smalloreven medium-scale mines in their countriesof origin. These examples, however, are rare.Countries rarely create an enabling environmentfor artisanal miners and, instead of nurturingtheir indigenous sector through targeted effortsto professionalise their artisanal miners intoproper corporate miners, they prefer to ratherfacilitate investment and mine development byforeign actors. This may be cheaper and easier,and bringing more immediate gains, especiallyfor the state. But emphasising a nation’s artisanalsector can bring more sustainable developmentand larger gains in the longer-term for the peopleand eventually the state (Tibbett 2009). Helpingartisanal miners mechanise their operations aspart of an integrated approach to formalisationcould help create a culture of professionalisation,which would nurture more sustainable localand national development. As this study hasshown, mechanisation (or formalisation) alone,however, cannot achieve these development gains.An integrated approach is required, incorporatinginvestment in the addressing of other barriers todevelopment in ASM.5. Front hoe extracting the gravelsand at the bottom of a trench, GhanaAlthough facilitating investmentand mine development by foreignactors may be cheaper, easier andbrings more immediate gains forthe state, advancing the nation’sartisanal sector can bring moresustainable development and largegains in the longer-term for thepeople, and eventually the state.20