WhyAfrica’s Post

The true wealth of Africa is not on it's #finite resources. The traditional methods of using resources such as #land, #minerals and #oil reserves are excessively expensive and increasingly inneffective. Our continent needs a #relational #approach more than #transactional #approach. A focus on #infinite resources-living species such as man. A govus

💦💚 Major concerns over water quality in Arlit, Niger. 🚨 Uranium processing residues in adjacent mining waste raise concerns about groundwater contamination. 😰 The NGO Aghir In’Man is requesting in-depth radiological analyses, crucial for the tranquility of residents. 🧪🌍 Priority to drinking water safety and people's health! 🙌 #Environment #Health #Contamination #Arlit #DrinkingWater

Although there are significant deposits of coal in the Waterberg district about 350km north of Johannesburg in South Africa, several factors have prevented extensive exploitation of what has historically been known as the Ellisras Coal Basin. The most notable constraint is a shortage of water. Although the region is one of the most important water sources in South Africa, it is water scarce and ecologically extremely sensitive. The Mokolo, Lephalala and Mokgalakwena rivers start their journey’s high up in the Waterberg massif and all feed the mighty Limpopo River, which forms the boundary between Botswana and South Africa and South Africa and Zimbabwe.  Coal was found in the Ellisras Basin in 1920. More than 143 diamond-drill holes and two prospecting shafts were sunk between 1941 and 1952 to obtain a geological map of the Waterberg Coalfield. State owned company Iscor bought the surface rights on six farms in 1957, and in 1973 began intensive exploration to assess the quantity and quality of coal on this property. Iscor bought the mining lease on the farms in 1979 and established the Grootegeluk Coal Mine in 1980. In 2005 this open-pit colliery was the only coal operation in the coalfield. Exxaro Resources started operating the Grootegeluk coal mine, supplying Eskom's coal-fired Matimba Power Station. In 2007 Exxaro obtained a contract to supply Eskom's new Medupi Power Station, which is also in the Waterberg. The Waterberg supplies water for the Medupi power station. Additional water for the power station is transferred from the Crocodile River in Gauteng. Today only 4% of the Waterberg water source area is under formal protection. This includes a section of the Marakele National Park as well as private nature reserves and game farms. However, the Waterberg is an important node for the Limpopo Conservation Plan due to the presence of critical biodiversity areas and river ecosystems that are vital biodiversity corridors. WhyAfrica will visit the Waterberg on the second and third day of the 2024 WhyAfrica Road Trip. This year, we will visit five African countries, about 30 projects sites, and interview more than 40 stakeholders in 45 days. We still have several partnership opportunities available. Contact us to be a part of the 2024 WhyAfrica Road Trip story. #whyafrica #whyafricaroadtrips #AfricanRoots #100percentafrican #energy #coal #mining #exploration #limpopo #environment #environmentalmanagement #geology #watermanagement Image credit: Birger Strahl from Unsplash   

#Thread2 Congo's Bleeding Heart: Turning Mining Scars into Conservation Victories The lush rainforests of Ituri, a region in the heart of the Congo Basin, are facing an unprecedented crisis. Driven by conflict and the insatiable demand for gold and coltan, rampant mining is leaving behind a trail of destruction. Here's the stark reality: Shari Mabanga: This once-pristine region, teeming with life, is now scarred by open-pit mines, its rivers polluted with toxic runoff. Over 16 international and domestic companies operate here, prioritizing profit over the environment. North Kivu: Similar scenes of devastation are unfolding, with armed groups vying for control of mineral-rich areas, exacerbating the environmental crisis. The consequences are dire: deforestation, habitat loss, water contamination, and the decimation of wildlife populations. We are on the brink of losing irreplaceable biodiversity, jeopardizing the health of the entire Congo Basin, the "second lung" of our planet. But there is hope. I believe we can turn this tragedy into an opportunity for conservation. By securing and restoring degraded mining lands, we can begin to heal these wounded landscapes and protect what remains. This is where you come in. There are people and organisation who have dedicated their life to protecting Congo's natural heritage. I know them and With my deep connections and understanding of the region, I can connect you with the right organizations, communities, and initiatives on the ground. Let's join forces to: Identify and acquire degraded mining sites. Develop and implement effective restoration strategies. Empower local communities to become stewards of their environment. Together, we can transform these landscapes of loss into beacons of hope for Congo's future. Contact me today to discuss how you can be a part of this critical mission. #CongoBasin #Conservation #Biodiversity #MiningImpacts #EnvironmentalRestoration #CommunityEmpowerment #ProtectOurPlanet

WhyAfrica spent the last two days at Barrick’s North Mara gold mine in Northern Tanzania, about 30km south of the Kenyan border. Mining at North Mara is complex, to say the least. Although the deposit is technically easy to mine; logistics, infrastructure constraints and social and environmental challenges make this one of the most intriguing mining sites I have ever visited.       That North Mara has challenges, nobody can deny. Barrick has made the legacy issues that tainted its predecessors the primary focus of its extensive social and environmental efforts in the Mara District. The company is working closely with the Tanzanian government, local NGOs, village elders, leaders and key community members in the region to build further on the current strong relationships put in place since Barrick took over operations from Acacia Mining in 2019. Meanwhile, commissioning of North Mara’s brand-new paste and filter plants are imminent. In addition, the mine will spend USD65-million to increase its water treatment carrying capacity. In picture is Jan Jacobs, operational manager on the left; Francis Uhadi, Community Relations Manager and Frank Ngoroma, Environmental Manager, with their exclusive issue of the Preview Road Trip magazine. To read more about Barrick’s operations in Tanzania, look out for the next two issues of the WhyAfrica magazine, that will be showcased at the 2025 Mining Indaba, held in Cape Town in February. WhyAfrica specialises in the sustainable utilisation and responsible extraction of Africa’s natural resources. WhyAfrica supports the empowerment of African communities, especially women and the youth, through development projects. #whyafrica #whyafricaroadtrips #africa #mining #exploration #quarrying #equipment #agriculture #farming #forestry #ESG #infrastructure #watermanagement #energy #tourism #sustainability #carbonemissions #naturalresources #environment #naturalresourcemangement 

While many African countries benefit from mining’s growth, there remain concerns about communities adjacent to mines facing risks to their groundwater or surface water supply and resources – casting a spotlight on mines’ water stewardship responsibilities. “Africa’s world-class copper belt, for instance, holds great potential for the future, and mining development there needs to manage its water issues carefully,” said Ismail Mahomed, partner and principal hydrogeologist at SRK Consulting. “This is vital not only for mines to comply with local regulations and global industry standards, but to protect their broader social licence to mine.” Mine dewatering is among the many facets that raise this risk, especially in regions of low rainfall like southern and northern Africa. Contamination of water resources continue to pose a potential liability and risk for any mining operation, particularly as the bar is steadily raised so that the objective of leaving a safe environment behind on mine closure is achieved. To read the full article click on the link below or visit the WhyAfrica website, your one-stop-shop for on-the-ground information and business intelligence about Africa.   WhyAfrica specialises in the sustainable utilisation and responsible extraction of Africa’s natural resources.   WhyAfrica supports the empowerment of African communities, especially women and the youth, through development projects.   Leon Louw SRK Consulting Sally Braham     #whyafrica #whyafricaroadtrips #africa #mining #exploration #quarrying #equipment #agriculture #farming #forestry #ESG #infrastructure #watermanagement #energy #tourism #sustainability #carbonemissions #naturalresources #environment #naturalresourcemangement #environmentalmanagent #biodiversity #conservation #travel #climatechange #extremeweatherevetns     Image credit: Leon Louw for WhyAfrica   https://lnkd.in/dWj5-j6P

When I was a kid, it was a beautiful little paradise, this place, but when they put that mine here it changed. It makes you feel sad, because what I see is this country crying out for help, you know? That's First Nations custodian Donald Shadforth talking. Donald and other First Nations leaders are calling on the Northern Territory Government to halt the development of more critical mineral mines until they start rehabilitating toxic exhausted sites. Jane Bardon ABC reports that for three decades, the deserted Redbank Mine (or Sandy Flat Mine) in the NT's Gulf of Carpentaria, has been leaking battery acid-strength contamination into the environment across 40 kilometres, to the Queensland/ NT border. As reported in MiningMonthly.com, 'The first real mining effort at Redbank was at Sandy Flat between 1994 and 1996 by Redbank Mines Ltd. The effort failed because near-surface copper oxide ores were treated with a plant designed for copper sulphides. 'The operation also left an environmental disaster.' The ABC reports successive Northern Territory governments have promised Traditional Owners to stop the pollution, but little has changed. At the same time, the NT government is urgently pushing for more critical minerals operations to be established, with many proposed sites on wholly Indigenous-owned or native title land. "Lets start with Redbank, let's clean that up before we start looking at new mines," says Joe Martin-Jard, Chief Executive of the Northern Land Council. "The site looks like a scene out of Mad Max. "It's actually getting worse, the poison's spreading further into the waterways. "We know it's been detected 40 kilometres away at the Queensland border. "It's been described as one of the worst polluting sites in Australia." You can find both the ABC article and the Mining Monthly story in the comments section. #firstnations #aboriginal #torresstraitislander #indigenous #criticalminerals #mining #rehabilitation #culturalheritage #pollution #water #river #cleanenergy #cleanwater #copper NT Minerals Limited Minerals Council of Australia - NT CARPENTARIA LAND COUNCIL ABORIGINAL CORPORATION #queensland #northernterritory Nicole Manison Scott Stewart MP Minerals Council of Australia #environment #energytransition Photo by Jane Bardon.

WhyAfrica spent the last two days at Barrick’s North Mara gold mine in Northern Tanzania, about 30km south of the Kenyan border. Mining at North Mara is complex, to say the least. Although the deposit is technically easy to mine; logistics, infrastructure constraints and social and environmental challenges make this one of the most intriguing mining sites I have ever visited.       That North Mara has challenges, nobody can deny. Barrick has made the legacy issues that tainted its predecessors the primary focus of its extensive social and environmental efforts in the Mara District. The company is working closely with the Tanzanian government, local NGOs, village elders, leaders and key community members in the region to build further on the current strong relationships put in place since Barrick took over operations from Acacia Mining in 2019. Meanwhile, commissioning of North Mara’s brand-new paste and filter plants are imminent. In addition, the mine will spend USD65-million to increase its water treatment carrying capacity. In picture is Jan Jacobs, operational manager on the left; Francis Uhadi, Community Relations Manager and Frank Ngoroma, Environmental Manager, with their exclusive issue of the Preview Road Trip magazine. To read more about Barrick’s operations in Tanzania, look out for the next two issues of the WhyAfrica magazine, that will be showcased at the 2025 Mining Indaba, held in Cape Town in February. WhyAfrica specialises in the sustainable utilisation and responsible extraction of Africa’s natural resources. WhyAfrica supports the empowerment of African communities, especially women and the youth, through development projects. #whyafrica #whyafricaroadtrips #africa #mining #exploration #quarrying #equipment #agriculture #farming #forestry #ESG #infrastructure #watermanagement #energy #tourism #sustainability #carbonemissions #naturalresources #environment #naturalresourcemangement 

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a land rich in minerals, from the cobalt that powers our smartphones to the copper for electrical wiring. However, this abundance comes at a high environmental cost. Drilling and mining operations are rapidly transforming the landscape, endangering the health of the Congo Basin rainforest, the second largest rainforest in the world, and impacting francophone Africa in general. #ecology #ecopledgeafrica https://lnkd.in/eZdf7jY9

ASX listed Lotus Resources plans to restart operations at the company’s Kayelekera Uranium Project close to Karonga in northern Malawi towards the end of next year. The existing processing plant needs to be refurbished in the lead up to Kayelekera becoming fully operational again in 2025. Paladin Energy, who mined Kayelekera between 2009 and 2014, left behind solid infrastructure, including roads, power, an open pit, tailings storage facilities and a complete uranium processing plant. According to Theo Keyter, General Manager at Lotus Resources, the company will initially start re-mining old stockpiles left by Paladin before further developing the current open pit to a depth of about 60m. Keyter spoke to WhyAfrica during a site visit to Kayelekera on day 22 of the 2024 WhyAfrica Road Trip through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania. Lotus Resources released a DFS in August 2022 which confirmed that Kayelekera ranks as one of the lowest capital cost uranium projects globally. The government of Malawi owns 15% of Kayelekera. Read the full story in the next two issues of the WhyAfrica magazine that will be on display at next year’s Mining Indaba that will be held in Cape Town in February. In picture is Theo Keyter, MD at Kayelekera and Charl van Rensburg from premier sponsor Remote Exploration Services (RES) at the mine yesterday. Image credit: Leon Louw for WhyAfrica #whyafrica #whyafricaroadtrips #africa #mining #exploration #quarrying #equipment #agriculture #farming #forestry #ESG #infrastructure #watermanagement #energy #tourism #sustainability #carbonemissions #naturalresources #environment #naturalresourcemangement #environmentalmanagent #biodiversity #conservation #travel #climatechange #extremeweatherevents