Publication Type
Journal Article
Publication Date (Issue Year)
4-1-2023
Journal Name
Heliyon
Abstract
The mineral sector, especially its small-scale subsector, has become significant in the emerging economies of the Global South. Tanzania is the focus of this policy exposition paper because, aside from Ghana and South Africa, Tanzania is ranked 4th in Africa in terms of its mineral deposits and small-scale mining activities. The focus is also on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) because ASM operations have significantly increased in recent times across this mineral-rich country of East Africa. This is done against a negative backdrop-labelling of ASM as unsustainable, environmentally unfriendly, inefficient, and illegal. Tanzania has made some progress to respond to some of the challenges in the mining sector to improve the micro and macroeconomics of the country. Some areas remain challenging including the lack of proper environmental health education for the ASM miners; the lack of clear national-level policies to guide health-related matters in the ASM subsector, and the small capital investment of the ASM subsector to support healthy mining practices. The details related to the persistence of these challenges are not well known, particularly those that pertain to policymaking. This article attempts to evaluate the policy environment of the ASM subsector in Tanzania and propose appropriate actions for the future of mineral resource policymaking in Tanzania.
Keywords
Artisanal, Environment, Mining, Tanzania, Trace elements
Rsif Scholar Name
Jonas Bayuo
Thematic Area
Minerals, Mining and Materials Engineering
Africa Host University (AHU)
Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tanzania
Funding Statement
This work is supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Tanzania (MoEST), the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the German Research Foundation (DFG) [VB-KV2017(AGL-D)] and the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, through the Water Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Futures (WISE-Futures) Fellowship Programme (Ref: BG.129/ 1053/97).
Recommended Citation
Rwiza, M., Focus, E., Bayuo, J., Kimaro, J., Kleinke, M., Lyasenga, T., Mosses, J., & Marwa, J. (2023). Artisanal and small-scale mining in Tanzania and health implications: A policy perspective. Heliyon, 9 (4) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14616