Institutional framework for co-operation in mineral resources development in southern Africa

Abstract

The Southern African Region (SAR)1 is truly endowed with a variety of the world's major minerals. It possesses the world's largest known mineral reserves of alumino-silicates, chromium, cobalt, gold, platinum group metals and vanadium. In addition, the sub region contains significant deposits of copper, coal, titanium mineral sands, uranium and many other minerals. In line with the substantial mineral endowment, many of the economies in the sub region, notably those of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe have traditionally been underpinned by the minerals sector. Aggregately, the mining industry in SADC countries is the biggest foreign exchange earner, accounting for some 60% of total earnings, contributes an average of 10% to the sub regional GDP and employs about 5% of total wage earners.