This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you consent to our use of cookies. Close

Africa Legal

Africa Legal

  • NEWS
  • JOBS
  • COURSES
  • CLIENTS
    • Sign in
    • Sign up
  • NEWS
  • COURSES
  • JOBS
    • Sign In
    • Sign Up
  • News
  • Courses
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Business A-Z
  • Post a job
  • Contact Us
  • Clients
CLIENT SIGN IN
Country
  • Uganda
  • South Africa
  • Kenya
  • Nigeria
  • Cameroon
  • United Kingdom
  • Cote d'Ivoire
  • Ghana
  • Tanzania
  • Zambia
  • Botswana
  • Morocco
  • Zimbabwe
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Sudan
  • Rwanda
  • Ethiopia
  • Angola
  • Egypt
  • Togo
  • Mali
  • South Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Senegal
  • Malawi
  • France
  • Guinea
  • Middle East
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Gambia
  • Sierra Leone
  • Germany
Category
  • Profiles
  • Analysis & Opinion
  • Career advice
  • In-house
  • Latest news
  • Press releases
  • Africa Legal Blog
  • Women in Law
  • Innovation
  • Human Rights
Practice area
  • Agriculture
  • Arbitration
  • Aviation
  • Banking and Finance
  • Capital markets
  • Charties and pro bono
  • Company commercial
  • Competition and antitrust
  • Construction and engineering
  • Consumer products
  • Corporate finance and M&A
  • Criminal
  • Education
  • Employment and benefits
  • Energy and natural resources
  • Environmental
  • Financial services
  • Fraud & white collar crime
  • Funds
  • Governance | risk and compliance
  • Government and public sector
  • Health and safety
  • Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
  • Insurance/Reinsurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Litigation and dispute resolution
  • Logistics and transportation
  • Manufacturing and Industrial
  • Private client and family
  • Private equity
  • Projects and infrastructure
  • Real estate
  • Regulatory
  • Restructuring | insolvency and debt recovery
  • Shipping and maritime
  • Taxation
  • Technology media and telecoms
  • Travel and tourism
close

Registration

Registered Successfully!!!. We have sent you a confirmation email to your email address.
close


View My Saved News


close You must login to save your news
  • LOGIN
  • NEW USER

Login to your account

Forgotten your password?
or

Create an Account

close


View My Saved News


« Back

Minerals Should Be Forever

For centuries Africa has been exploited for its mineral resources but, as the world has changed, so too has the attitude of mining companies and the communities where they operate.

Nov 26, 2020
Share

In a special report – The Future of Mining: Sustainability – global law firm Hogan Lovells, in partnership with Africa Legal, reflects on how ensuring a mine is sustainable, is in the best interests of everyone involved. This is especially so for communities that have not had access to resources for development or infrastructure.

The authors discuss how finance for mines in Africa has become increasingly contingent on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governing) principles. Mining companies, they warn, could see funding dry up if they don’t pursue sustainability targets that meet investor expectations.

Investors in African mining can make good returns but they have to adopt a more holistic approach than the strip-and-go attitude of their predecessors. Before any ground is broken, the people who live in the affected communities need to be informed and involved and they too need to know they will reap some of the benefits.

“First and foremost you need a social license to operate and if you’re building and operating a mine in the midst of communities, it’s your duty to ensure that you leave those communities better off than when you got there and that you improve the standard of living of local citizens,” says Jasmine Abrahams, Group Manager for Sustainability for Ivanhoe Mines in an interview in the report.

She emphasises, it is because of this that the nature of mining companies is also changing.

“It’s not all shareholder-driven anymore where you just seek to maximise profits, you’ve got to be a good corporate citizen.”

It’s a point picked up by Jacqueline Musiitwa, the Director of Kalene Hill Resources, which focuses on mining in Zambia. She says in her view South Africa is leading the way on sustainability in mining.

“South Africa has learnt some very hard lessons in the past, and now the framework is there.” Communities in South Africa are stronger and louder than communities in other places, she says.

“If something goes wrong, people will march and they will go to the headquarters of a company and they will complain and they will riot. There have been several cases of communities in South Africa that have decided not to let miners come in because they have not convinced them that they will do the right thing.”

This Hogan Lovells report provides the very latest insights and thinking on issues around sustainability that are now of global concern.

The final word goes to Hogan Lovells partner and global head of mining Matthew Johnson who says, “Mining companies in Africa are utilising and have a desire to achieve good and innovative sustainable mining practices including, for example, renewable energy use and plans for energy transition, health and safety, diversity and technology. There’s a great opportunity for those mining companies, and their financial stakeholders, to continue to really drive that focus towards global best practice.”

To read the report click here

 

To join Africa Legal's mailing list please click here 

Copyright : Re-publication of this article is authorised only in the following circumstances; the writer and Africa Legal are both recognised as the author and the website address www.africa-legal.com and original article link are back linked. A bio for the writer can be provided on request.

RELATED CATEGORY NEWS

Niche firms with elephant-sized impact Read more
Custodians of risk and reward Read more
An insightful look at competition, tra Read more

RELATED COUNTRY NEWS

Shaping business according to ESG prin Read more
Something new for Africa Read more
Funding African investments Read more
Africa Legal
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy and cookies policy
Members
  • Find a job
  • Take a course
  • Read news
  • Terms and conditions
  • Cancellations and refunds
Clients
  • Terms and conditions
  • Post a job
  • Host a course
  • Advertise
  • Share news
Connect with us
© Copyright 2023 | Africa Legal. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy