Impacts of Mining on the Environment in West African Sahel: A Review

Abstract

Mining activities have led to the depletion of over 577.15 km² of forest area in the West African Sahel zone. These have destroyed the habitats of mammals, including elephants and giraffes, as well as economic trees and grass species, and polluted ground and surface water. In addition, mining activities are responsible for degrading more than 1,000 acres of farmland. Even though mining is destroying the environment, it has accounted for exports of €211,468,13, €247,034,485 and €275,720,817 in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, respectively, between 2014 and 2015. It is also a lever of sustainable environmental management, as in Senegal, by providing mining social funds for mining communities and employing over 450,000 people in Niger. Furthermore, mining companies promote land restoration activities in the West African Sahel, such as China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) promoting tree plantations in Niger. Nevertheless, the mining in the region will continue to serve as the breeding ground for criminal gangs and terrorist groups unless a radical approach stabilises the insecurity. The degradation of farmlands and forest reserves or protected areas requires re-evaluation and full enforcement of the existing laws and regulations to achieve sustainable mining for the needed development in the West African Sahel region.