Southern Africa has a mixture of opportunities and troublesome elements to consider within the mining sector across the continent.

In spite of Zambia presenting substantial growth in its copper industry, there are a few variables that could affect this growth. The newly appointed government and the preceding changes that come with what this leader has or is in the process of implementing will influence the industry. Regulations that ensure that all transactions happen in the country’s local currency are now being enforced and there is a move to restructure the tax and royalty commands of the county. In addition power lacks in the country also remain to present challenges to the mining industry.

There are several investments in coal mining projects, in Tete province, in Mozambique, but infrastructure is needed to transport the coal and currently various location sites are under review for the construction of new and proposed ports that will assist this.

Researcher believe that interest will soon increase in Namibia’s uranium resources in spite of the current pace of project development being reduced down by the global negative perception of nuclear power generation to which Japan’s Fukushima Daichi nuclear disaster in 2010 may have contributed.

It is expected that mining in Zimbabwe will trickle unless the country undergoes governmental restructuring, as legislated indigenisation will prevent foreign investment that is needed to help the country develop to its full potential. Meanwhile, South Africa’s platinum industry the biggest known commodity resource than any other in the world and consolidation in this commodity is far from completed.

Further Difficulties:
Africa’s biggest mining downfall remains infrastructure development and the continent will not realise its full potential if the avenues required to transport commodities from mine or pit to port are not developed and implemented effectively.

It is suggested that negative economic environment and worries surrounding the ability of Europe and the US to pull themselves out of their current economic slump remain to place mounting weights on the high level of most global commodity charges. Frequently, it is cycles like these that contribute to communities and governments wanting to have more involvement and influence in mining projects, however, this involvement itself may place added pressure on the ability of the mining industry to operate optimally.

For Africa the mining industry is a catalyst for economic development, which is needed to tackle successfully the social challenges, such as poverty, a lack of education and unemployment. There is an abundance of infrastructural development opportunities on the continent and, already, significant investment has been made in improving the existing infrastructure.

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