July 2014
MODERN MINING
41
MINING IN AFRICA
feature
Above:
Artesian borehole
– Government and mining
houses should work to-
gether to promote linkages
with local infrastructure and
economic development.
Below:
There are exciting
opportunities for future
mining development on the
continent.
poverty and moving towards growth, develop-
ment and prosperity for all.
A recent example of emerging good practice
was the signing by developers and Cameroon’s
government of an investment framework to
mine important iron ore deposits in that coun-
try; SRK, which has been active in Africa for 40
years, was involved in the process as govern-
ment technical advisor.
“Investors want to see stable governments,
transparency in official processes and commit-
ment to contracts as a foundation for long-term
mining projects,” said Dixon. “At the same
time, governments are custodians of mineral
wealth and must ensure that its extraction
benefits the host communities and host coun-
try at large.”
He noted the growing emphasis on mining as
a contributor to sustainable economic growth,
and the need for governments and mining
companies to work together to promote link-
ages with local infrastructural and economic
development.
“Mining operations – especially those in
bulk commodities – certainly can have a posi-
tive impact on the host country’s infrastructure,
but this is not always guaranteed,” he warned.
“Governments can better leverage the positive
impact of a mine by collaborating closely with
the investor on how the project is planned and
executed – ensuring that they meet investors
‘half-way’ and extend the mine-related infra-
structure to the community where possible.
“At the same time, mining companies can
make concerted efforts to embed themselves in
their host community and spread their benefits,
