According to the African Development Bank Group, out of the 54 countries in Africa, 24 rely on relatively few mineral products to generate more than 75% of their export earnings. This level of high dependency, means that a significant percentage of the population is involved in the mining industry formally and/or informally.

Taking matters closer to home, Zimbabwe is one of the 24 countries in Africa highly dependent on mining activities, with valuable minerals, such as, gold, diamonds and coal being found richly in the country. Currently, due to slowed development of mining and processing infrastructure in Zimbabwe, the mineral products exported are mostly raw, resulting in meager returns gained in export revenue. This challenge is definitely not isolated to Zimbabwe alone, with Africa hosting about 30% of the world?s total mineral reserves, however only representing about 8% of global mineral production. Africa has the potential to see major increases in revenue generation from mining, by increasing its overall level of industrialization thus accelerating its economic growth annually. Development of the mining industry would not only benefit African economies, but would also benefit the health of groups of the population involved in the mining sector.

 In Zimbabwe, electricity is mainly generated via coal powered power plants in its mining capital (Hwange). Coal mining has been proven to predispose miners to multiple cardio-pulmonary conditions, including black lung disease, hypertension, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease and lung cancer, just to mention a few. Mine collapses and work place accidents in the coal mining town, are not uncommon, with several incidents of miners, being unfortunately buried alive. Toxic levels of arsenic, mercury, and selenium are emitted by coal fires, entering the air and the food chain of those living nearby, predisposing them as well to several health complications. The government of Zimbabwe and several Non-governmental organizations, have played key roles in increasing access to healthcare and safety gear for all miners, which has resulted in decreased rates of deaths and health complications experienced by miners in Zimbabwe. However, not all African nations have been able to see such improvements in healthcare in their mining sector. For example, in the democratic republic of Congo, due to its complex colonial history and outbreaks of civil wars there-after, miners in the Congo continue to work under dangerous conditions exposing themselves and their families to several health complications.

Several pundits and pan-Africans, have postulated that in order to improve mining sector in Africa, peace must be promoted continentally, with reductions in corruption and improvement in the quality of leadership, in order for the continent to fully utilize its vast mineral wealth. Enviromentally, coal mining has not done Africa any favors.

In Zimbabwe and in most Southern African countries, number of heat waves experienced per year, have been noted to be increasing annually.  Mismanagement of the environmental degradation occurring in mines has been attributed partly to weather pattern changes being experienced in this region. For example, underground coal fires can burn for CENTURIES, filling the atmosphere with smoke laden with carbon-monoxide (CO) and other greenhouse toxic gases – as well as fly ash from vents and fissures. With strip mining methods, naturally occurring landscapes, such as mountains, are blasted systematically, leaving literal scars on the earth. The negative environmental impact of mining, cannot be stressed enough, however the great progress is being made across the continent as the notion of being an eco-friendly industry becomes more and more popular.

In the context of mining in Africa, I believe the best way to envision a complete image of coal mining, the environment and you in Africa, is to consider your target context in deeper context in deeper context in?

Compiled by

Nyasha Manyeruke