Impact of New Mining Technologies on Large-Scale and Artisanal Mining in Burkina Faso
This case study of Burkina Faso considers what the new technologies coming down the pipeline in the mining sector will mean for labour force and productivity in both the large-scale and artisanal mining in that country.
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With a poverty rate of over 40%, population growth of 3.1%, and a high level of youth unemployment and under-employment, Burkina Faso is heavily reliant on sectors like mining to provide decent jobs.
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Job losses from automation in large-scale mining will mostly be in low-skilled jobs occupied by locals.
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New technologies in the artisanal mining sector can bring much-needed improvements in efficiency and environmental performance but may also decimate employment among the most vulnerable: women and youth.
New technologies are changing the face of mining worldwide, with fundamental implications for the number and types of jobs the mine will support, as well as for health and safety, women’s place in the mine, greenhouse gas emissions, and the efficiency and viability of mining operations. IGF’s New Tech, New Deal project explored what types of technology we could expect to see, what the impacts might be, and what sorts of government policies are available to best manage the changing relationship between mines and their host countries and communities.
This case study, based on extensive interviews and research, describes the major impacts that Burkina Faso can expect, covering both the large-scale and artisanal mining sectors. The study was produced to feed into the final report of the New Tech, New Deal project.
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