Small-scale Mining and Sustainable Development within the SADC Region

Broadly, speaking, it is difficult to make general conclusions about small-scale mining in Southern Africa. The historical, economic, developmental, geological and social backgrounds and circumstances in the countries of the region are very different in many cases. Similarly, there are wide differences with respect to the minerals; more than 50 different minerals are exploited. Mining, processing and marketing them presents several individual problems and challenges. Multiplying these with our 6 countries (ignoring the sub-areas) would give us at least 300 varied issues to investigate. This suggests that prescribing general solutions on small-scale mining issues in the region is not a very rewarding exercise. Such prescriptions are either too broad and shallow to be useful or not suitable to every case.

Nevertheless, this study tries to draw up some conclusions and suggestions from all the six country reports. These conclusions and suggestions should therefore be interpreted in the light of the caveat made in the preceding paragraph.