May 9, 2010 - Africa is the world's richest in minerals. Everybody else but Africans has been exploiting its giant resources. Now Africans appear to aim at forming their own cartel of minerals exporting countries.
Available data from the year 2005 show that the share of Africa in world production of cobalt is 57 percent, diamonds 46 percent, chromite 44 percent, manganese 39 percent, phosphate rock 31 percent, gold 21 percent; mineral fuels including coal and petroleum 13 percent, and uranium 16 percent.
Africa also accounted in 2005 for 9 per cent of world's bauxite; 5 per cent of aluminium; 5 per cent of copper, and 5 per cent of coal, in addition to iron ore with 4 per cent; cement 4 per cent; lead 3 per cent; steel 2 per cent of zinc and similar percentage of graphite.
These percentages are, however, to be considered somehow obsolete. Many things have changed since then, not the least the steady Chinese demand for minerals.
Nonetheless, recent news about Africa working for forming a minerals' cartel were reported, which was that African leaders are pushing for tougher terms on mining concessions after 25 years of structural adjustment when countries cut red tape and offered generous tax holidays to foreign prospectors.
The proposal has raised mixed reactions. A geological director for Niger's Mining Ministry said: "It's an ambitious but feasible idea. Our economy is falling. As a producer of uranium, it would be good to involve ourselves in a union of producers that could set the price."
"Africa is going to become a very important player in the commodity and minerals market," said Roger Dixon, chairman for South Africa's SRK mining consultancy, who cited China's 11.9 per cent growth in its gross domestic product, the total of goods and services produced, in the first quarter of 2010.
Honorary Prof. Phillip Crowson said: "There were attempts to do this with phosphates, iron ore, bauxite, copper none of them worked, mining companies don't have to invest, and if the terms aren't attractive, they won't."
Africa is richly endowed with mineral reserves and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamond, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals (PGM), vermiculite, and zirconium. Gold is Africa's main mining. That big business resistance to Africa forming its own minerals cartel would anyway have to face these real facts.
Ongoing mining projects of more than 1 billion dollars are under way in: South Africa (PGM and gold); Guinea (bauxite and aluminium); Madagascar (nickel); Mozambique (coal), Congo (Kinshasa) and Zambia (cobalt and copper), Nigeria and Sudan (crude petroleum), Senegal (iron), among others.
Being one of largest minerals producers and exporters in the whole world, while probably the most exploited for foreign countries and corporations, Africa would have enough elements to unite in a cartel. Time will tell if it manages to do so.
Available data from the year 2005 show that the share of Africa in world production of cobalt is 57 percent, diamonds 46 percent, chromite 44 percent, manganese 39 percent, phosphate rock 31 percent, gold 21 percent; mineral fuels including coal and petroleum 13 percent, and uranium 16 percent.
Africa also accounted in 2005 for 9 per cent of world's bauxite; 5 per cent of aluminium; 5 per cent of copper, and 5 per cent of coal, in addition to iron ore with 4 per cent; cement 4 per cent; lead 3 per cent; steel 2 per cent of zinc and similar percentage of graphite.
These percentages are, however, to be considered somehow obsolete. Many things have changed since then, not the least the steady Chinese demand for minerals.
Nonetheless, recent news about Africa working for forming a minerals' cartel were reported, which was that African leaders are pushing for tougher terms on mining concessions after 25 years of structural adjustment when countries cut red tape and offered generous tax holidays to foreign prospectors.
The proposal has raised mixed reactions. A geological director for Niger's Mining Ministry said: "It's an ambitious but feasible idea. Our economy is falling. As a producer of uranium, it would be good to involve ourselves in a union of producers that could set the price."
"Africa is going to become a very important player in the commodity and minerals market," said Roger Dixon, chairman for South Africa's SRK mining consultancy, who cited China's 11.9 per cent growth in its gross domestic product, the total of goods and services produced, in the first quarter of 2010.
Honorary Prof. Phillip Crowson said: "There were attempts to do this with phosphates, iron ore, bauxite, copper none of them worked, mining companies don't have to invest, and if the terms aren't attractive, they won't."
Africa is richly endowed with mineral reserves and ranks first or second in quantity of world reserves of bauxite, cobalt, industrial diamond, phosphate rock, platinum-group metals (PGM), vermiculite, and zirconium. Gold is Africa's main mining. That big business resistance to Africa forming its own minerals cartel would anyway have to face these real facts.
Ongoing mining projects of more than 1 billion dollars are under way in: South Africa (PGM and gold); Guinea (bauxite and aluminium); Madagascar (nickel); Mozambique (coal), Congo (Kinshasa) and Zambia (cobalt and copper), Nigeria and Sudan (crude petroleum), Senegal (iron), among others.
Being one of largest minerals producers and exporters in the whole world, while probably the most exploited for foreign countries and corporations, Africa would have enough elements to unite in a cartel. Time will tell if it manages to do so.
