The Impact of Regulations and Laws Governing on Solid Minerals Exploitation in Three African Countries: A Literature Review

Tamburo Michael Renzi

doi:10.4236/ojbm.2021.92028

Abstract

Mining companies from around the world play an important role in socio-economic development in Africa. These mining companies generate revenues for the governments, which create physical and social infrastructure and provide other essential services. However, this objective is not achieved in some cases due to many factors, including inadequate regulations and lack of enforcement of the mining codes. The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the environmental laws, rules, and mining codes that govern the exploitation of minerals like diamond and copper in Africa, as well as their relevance for the management of the mining companies by focusing on South Sudan, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Although Rwanda is not as mineral-rich as DRC and South Sudan, they all have a comprehensive mining policy that could make them a significant mineral processing and trading hub in the region. From this evaluation, it is evident that the government and mining companies have a major role to play towards environmental protection and local communities. The government of the day must enact policies and laws and ensure that they are effectively enforced. The mining companies must also adhere to the set environmental rules and efficiently use the available resources. In a nutshell, government, mining companies, and the local community must work together to attain a high-quality environment. This study aims to provide in-depth insights into various environmental laws and regulations and mining codes that exist in DRC, Rwanda, and South Sudan intended to protect the environment from the adverse effects of mining by examining whether mining laws have been relevant to mining operators.

Highlights

The purpose of this paper is to critically examine the environmental laws, rules, and mining codes that govern the exploitation of minerals like diamond and copper in Africa, as well as their relevance for the management of the mining companies by focusing on South Sudan, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
This study aims to provide in-depth insights into various environmental laws and regulations and mining codes that exist in DRC, Rwanda, and South Sudan intended to protect the environment from the adverse effects of mining by examining whether mining laws have been relevant to mining operators
In most sub-Saharan African countries; laws are established with the primary objective of attaining a credible and sustainable governance framework, which regulates the extractive practices of private companies and assists the governments in the proper management of the mineral resources (International Alert, 2009)

Summary

Introduction

The extraction of these minerals from the ground results in considerable environmental damages that pose risks to the communities and costly to clean up (International Financial Corporation, 2020) Some of these damages in sub-Saharan Africa include abandoned pits and shafts in artisanal mining areas in West Africa, dumps from previous mining activities in South Africa, pollution of ground and surface water, contamination of soil and loss of agricultural lands, air pollution, and risks of landslides (Pretty & Odeku, 2017). These problems have led to accidents, diseases, and various challenges to the local population. To mitigate these risks from current and future mining operations, different countries in the region enacted mining codes and regulations, which promote environmental responsibility and sustainability in “miners” actions

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Conclusion