From boom to bust, and back again: the Tortiya diamond fields of Cote d'Ivoire, 1947-2018

Implementation of the African Mining Vision in Cote d'Ivoire is weak, and AMV domestication is unlikely to happen soon. Focusing on the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector, a key section of the AMV, we look at the tumultuous recent history of the diamond mining town Tortiya. The subject of a halting and uneven formalisation process, the case is emblematic for the lack of interest shown in ASM at a policy level. This is due to high costs, and low political and economic returns of formalisation. It underscores a broader lack of strategic vision for the mining sector.