LAUSR

Abstract Over the past four decades, many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone different waves of mining sector reform in a bid to catalyse growth. The focus of these exercises has been mainly to attract foreign investment to develop and at times, rejuvenate, export-led large-scale mining and accompanying mineral exploration activity. This despite yielding disappointing improvements, developmentally and economically of the sector. Perhaps even more significantly, however, is that under reform, most of the region’s governments have overlooked the importance of formalising and supporting artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), which, by comparison, has a much greater impact locally and in many instances, developmentally. This article contributes to the body of literature on mining sector reform in sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on the case of Cote d'Ivoire. Drawing on findings from an extended period of fieldwork, the article examines critically how a large scale mining bias in Cote d’Ivoire has contributed to the marginalization of ASM. Consistent with most analysis of mining sector reform in sub-Saharan Africa, in Cote d’Ivoire, the government has successfully established an attractive investment climate and put aside vast parcels of land for multinational companies while simultaneously neglecting the needs of artisanal and small-scale operators.