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undeterred

(34,658 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 12:32 PM Jun 2014

Africa's ecosystems imperilled by mining frenzy

William Laurance 24th June 2014

Africa sustains some of the most spectacular ecosystems on the planet - from the Sergengeti to the Congo Basin to the Eastern Arc forests. But those ecosystems and their iconic wildlife are now facing their greatest peril, writes William Laurance - a mining boom of unprecedented intensity.

One the one hand, this mineral-fueled feeding frenzy has the potential to deliver direly needed economic growth to a continent whose population is still skyrocketing. The United Nations projects that Africa's population will nearly quadruple, from 1.1 to 4.2 billion people, by the end of this century. Yet on the other hand, the mining boom carries massive risks for the African environment and societies. In a recent article in Conservation Letters, 'Mining and the African environment', my colleagues and I summarize some key implications of this 'African avalanche'.

Mineral wealth
Africa contains around 30% of the world's minerals - including large quantities of phosphate, platinum-group metals, gold, diamonds, chromite, cobalt, manganese and vanadium, and huge deposits of aluminum, uranium, iron ore and coal. But with just 5% of all global mineral exploitation taking place in Africa, the potential for growth is enormous. Africa is now attracting a stampede of foreign mining investment. China's investment in African mining quadrupled from 2000 to 2009, and now exceeds $100 billion annually.

Investments from India, Brazil, Russia, Canada and Australia are also pouring in. For example, more than 230 Australian mining companies are now involved in over 600 mining and mineral-processing projects across 42 African countries. This tsunami of mining is creating a new optimism in Africa about economic development and poverty alleviation, but it is also occurring in a complex socioeconomic context. Africa is the poorest continent overall, lacks a skilled workforce and has significant political instability and corruption. Can African nations successfully manage this feeding frenzy?

Read more: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2449005/africas_ecosystems_imperilled_by_mining_frenzy.html

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