In the spring of 2009, retired British cricket player Phil Edmonds' assets were seized by the United Kingdom's government due to CAMEC's illicit association with former self-appointed Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
[1] African mineral reserves hold a significant position globally ranking first or second for bauxite, cobalt, diamonds, phosphate rocks, platinum-group metals (PGM), vermiculite and zirconium.
In 2012, the African soil contributed to the world's production of minerals as follows: bauxite 7%; aluminium 5%; chromite 38%; cobalt 60%; copper 9%; gold 20%; iron ore 2%; steel 1%; lead (Pb) 2%; manganese 38%; zinc 1%; cement 4%; natural diamond 56%; graphite 2%; phosphate rock 21%; coal 4%; mineral fuels (including coal) – 13% and petroleum 8%; uranium 18%;[3] and platinum 69.4%.
Forward-looking information, which includes estimates of future production, exploration and mine development, cost of capital projects, and timing of the start of operations, is subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ significantly from expected outcomes.
Mineral fuels (coal, petroleum) account for more than 90% of the export earnings for Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, and Nigeria.
Ongoing mining projects of more than US$1 billion are taking place in South Africa (PGM 69%; gold:31%), Guinea (bauxite and aluminium), Madagascar (nickel), Mozambique (coal), Congo (Kinshasa) and Zambia (cobalt and copper), Nigeria and Sudan (crude petroleum), Senegal (iron), and many others.
Diamond was a substantial source of export earnings in the Central African Republic and South Africa, as was uranium in Niger.
[10] In 2005, Europe received 35% of Africa's petroleum exports; the United States, 32%; China, 10%; Japan, 2%; and other countries in Asia and the Pacific region, 12%.
For other commodities, which included bauxite, colored gemstones, diamond, iron ore, petroleum, and uranium, most of or all the continent's production was exported before downstream processing.
[10] The transition to clean or low-carbon energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaic, hydrogen, wind power, etc, is predicted to push up global demand for some key "green" minerals.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has identified 37 such critical minerals and estimates that by 2050 global demand for these will increase by 235 per cent.
[15] The African Union has outlined a policy framework, the Africa Mining Vision, to leverage the continent’s mineral reserves and youth boom in pursuit of sustainable development and socio-economic transformation.
[16] Achieving these goals requires mineral-rich African economies to transition from commodity export to manufacture of higher value-added products.
[17] In September 2004, the Eritrean government ordered a halt to all mineral exploration activity in the country while it reviewed its Mining Act.
[10] Effective February 28, 2005, platinum producers could no longer hold proceeds from Zimbabwean mining activity in foreign accounts to fund exploration and development in that country.
[10] At the end of 2004, the government of Liberia passed legislation providing for controls on the export, import, and transit of rough diamond.
The West African Gas Pipeline, which was expected to start regular operations in the end of 2008, could help mitigate the effects of deforestation in Benin, Ghana, and Togo and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
[10] The use of mercury by artisanal gold miners has led to serious air and water pollution in Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
The Global Mercury Project has been providing cleaner technologies and training for miners, conducting health assessments, and helping institute government regulatory capacities.
In Guinea, planned increases in alumina refining capacity of about 5 million metric tons per year in 2008 and 2009 are expected to lead to higher bauxite production.
Higher production from the Sishen and the Thabazimbi Mines in South Africa more than offset lower output in Egypt and Mauritania.
In Nigeria, mining is expected to restart at the Ajaybanko and the I Itakpe iron ore deposits in 2006 or 2007 and to reach full production by 2009.
The decrease in Morocco's output was attributable to the closure of the Touissit Mine in 2002 and technical problems experienced by Compagnie Minière de Guemassa.
In Congo (Kinshasa), the proposed reopening of the Kipushi Mine and the reprocessing of zinc and germanium tailings near Kolwezi could lead to further increases in production, but whether these projects will be implemented by the end of 2011 is uncertain.
The increase in output was broadly based, with production rising in Angola, Botswana, Congo (Kinshasa), Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
Botswana accounted for 24% of the value of global rough diamond output; South Africa, 12%; Angola, 11%; Congo (Kinshasa), 8%; and Namibia, 5%.
As of 2005, the following African countries had met the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme: Angola, Botswana, Central African Republic, Congo (Kinshasa), Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe.
At the Kimberley Process plenary session held in Moscow in November, the Chair called for action to be taken to help provide technical assistance to countries neighboring Côte d'Ivoire to strengthen controls on diamond trade.
[quantify] European Diamonds plc started production in Lesotho in 2005; the company planned to reach full capacity in 2006.
Namibia's uranium production is likely to increase substantially with the opening of the Langer Heinrich Mine in late 2006 and its planned expansion, which could be completed by 2010 or 2011.