Paper short abstract:

Tanzania is part of an African turn towards 'resource nationalism' in the mining sector. This paper looks at potential impacts of resource nationalism on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).

Paper long abstract:

Tanzania is part of an African turn towards 'resource nationalism' in the mining sector. The potential impacts of recent policy and legal changes on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) have been under-researched. Based on fieldwork conducted in October-November 2018 involving high-level policy-makers, artisanal and small-scale miners, civil society representatives and others, this paper provides a political economy analysis of the motivations for, and key characteristics of, resource nationalism in Tanzania. It pays particular attention to both the symbolic and material value of the mining sector, and ASM in particular, to the political strategies and aims of the government. Comparisons are made with other countries in the region, in order to better identify the particular characteristics of the contemporary Tanzanian version of resource nationalism. In addition, the paper uses data from the Tanzanite sector to document the intended and unintended consequences of recent government attempts to enhance state control over the ASM sector.