The ambiguity of transparency in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector of Tanzania

•We explore the importance of transparency from a small-scale producer perspective.•We focus on the artisanal and small-scale mining sector of Tanzania.•We show that increased transparency is beneficial but not sufficient.•We highlight the ambiguity of producer transparency in its ability to empower.•To identify the potential of transparency, addressing this ambiguity is vital.