From carats to karats: explaining the shift from diamond to gold mining by artisanal miners in Ghana

摘要: Over the course of past half-decade, artisanal miners in Ghana’s major alluvial diamond fields Akwatia have shifted to gold mining or a combination and mining. What accounts for such an unprecedented transition country’s small-scale (ASM) sector? Drawing upon in-person interviews observations conducted regions, article identifies two primary explanatory factors this shift. First, cessation large-scale country has witnessed transformation Akwatia’s into miners. Second, temporary ban Ghanaian exports diamonds late-2006 implementation more stringent production export regulations under auspices Kimberley Process Certification Scheme increased costs Moreover, several abetting as favourable geological terrain, increasing number informal partnerships struck among customary land owners illegal miners, soaring prices, rising input accelerated change sector. Unable obtain alternative employment, successfully adapted changes regulatory economic environments and, doing so, set motion self-sustaining dynamics that significantly transformed political economy Ghana. Specifically, changing patterns resulted use mercury by workers concomitant environmental degradation; weakening framework oversees Ghana; modest recovery livelihoods communities; increase net migration mineral-rich region Akwatia; development innovative technologies.