Artisanal Mining & Biosphere Reserves in Central Africa How to contribute from the Earth Sciences perspective Luc André Royal Museum for Central Africa
The ASM poverty trap How to alleviate this viscious circle The Congo case study Structure the mining code and cadastral polygons Shift ASM from illegal towards legal polygons Improving cartography The Rwanda-Burundi case study Reinforce geo-prospecting Transboundary Geology Conclusions
The ASM poverty trap (Hilson Hilson & pardie,, 2006) Low levels of technology And poor geo-prospecting Low recovery Low productivity Unskilled labour and inability to invest Low income In a balanced steady state: This circle might be: «the ladder that sends us to wealth» Being 3-5 times the income of other occupations itmaycontributeto povertyreduction!
The ASM poverty trap (Hilson Hilson & pardie,, 2006) Low levels of technology And poor geo-prospecting When it is destabilized! Low recovery Low productivity Unskilled labour and inability to invest Environmental damage Deteriorated quality of life and health Low income Poverty exacerbation Larger numbers of miners exploiting limited resources Clashes Biodiversity, educational and cultural damages Refugees Pressure on Commodities Environmental changes
The pressure on commodities is there and will grow
A strong pressure by refugees
A sad imposed modernity: the artisanal mining in DRC
Gold Copper Diamond Coltan + Rare Earths, Platinium group, Cobalt, Germanium, U
Kasai/Diamond Diamond
Ituri: Gold Gold
Katanga: Copper Copper
ppm Katemo Manda et al., 2011
A rush on every potentials A geodesic signal
Kivu: Coltan Coltan
How to alleviate the pressure on the environment, the biosphere reserves? Low levels of technology And poor geo-prospecting Low recovery Low productivity Unskilled labour and inability to invest Low income Improvements in the technical, environmental and socioeconomic performance of the ASM sector hinge on the Formalization of miners through rights recognition Step 1: Delineate with precision the location of the mining permits and the reserve areas Step 2: Improve geo-prospections to delineate appropriate areas for: 1. Artisanal mining, 2.small mining and 3. industrial minings
Improved mappings Integrate mining title maps with other information databases (Reserves, Resources potentialities, natural and environmental risks, Range modelings, Improve cartography Improve Geology Better prospecting Improved formations Exchange geological database Transboundary integrated geology Determine the environmental impacts
Integrated mapping Cadastral mapping and Parks and reserves D.R.C
The bonanza Delineate the permits
Parks and MABs The permits Yangambi Luki MAB reserves Lufira
The integration
No or Very limited overlapping
Upemba & Kundelungu
LUKI
LUFIRA
Integrated mapping What else? Risks Species Range modeling D.R.C
The Natural Hazards Database for Central Africa Number of hazards registered: >500 mega-gullies People impacted: ~ 12.2 M The Natural Disaster Database for Central Africa, on line from october 5 th 2010 http://www.africamuseum.be/collections/browsecollections/naturalsciences/earth/hazard 16 Number of events reported 14 12 10 8 6 4 Floods & Storms Landslides Reported hydric disasters 2 0 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 Year
The importance of hydrological hazards in Central Africa
Study sites (UNIKIS) in the Salonga NP and near Kisangani : Collaboration with Emile Mulotwa Red dots: historical collection localities georeferenced in RMCA Congo Peacock
Improve mapping A geodesic survey is needed D.R.C
Belgian Geodesic surveys
Belgian
The difference between Rwanda, Burundi And DRC Coltan
New Kivu geological map
Rare Earth
«Fetish Modernity» From april 8 th to september 11 th Stepladders, handmade by wannabe refugees