The CSR challenges, including environmental and social impacts of mining operations in

Africa
CSR Challenges of mining in Africa:
Mining’s origins are common to that of the first human beings, ever since 3000BC, meaning
that they exploited the mineral assets and the natural resources of our earth's soil. Advances in
mining have been made during periods when civilisations required new materials for their
production, and it has been considered an economic activity since the dawn of time. Since it
provides raw materials and energy sources, mining now plays a critical role in modern society
and industrial processes. 
Mining used to entail exploitation of one area until its natural resources were depleted, then
moved on to another region and continued the process. Local people saw mining as both an
economic driver and a way of life in these regions, yet they also saw it as a danger to the natural
surroundings, with environmental effects on the air, water and soils.
The increased exposure to diversity of cultures and social concerns, as well as customer and
shareholder demands for responsible practices, decentralization of operations, and more
administrative and foreign regulations in mining practices, have all contributed to this shift in
perspective. As a consequence of all of this, social and environmental responsibilities have been
included.

Environmental Impacts:
1. Deforestation 
Mining is, in general, extremely harmful to the climate. It is a major contributor to
deforestation. Climate change, desertification, soil degradation, fewer crops, floods,
elevated greenhouse gas levels in the environment, and a slew of other issues for
indigenous groups will all result from the destruction of trees and other vegetation.

2. Erosion 
Mining erosion is an environmental challenge caused by mining, which includes
sinkholes, surface water and soil contamination, and maintenance of high-flow drainage
channels. The miners have almost doubled the potential of the waterway by extracting
too much sand and soil, partly flooding the lakes and rendering it more vulnerable to
drought.

3. Vegetation 
Dust contamination occurs when a large amount of dust is released into the air during
the quarrying period. This is gradually accumulated on the leaves and flowers of plants,
as well as the soil that supports them.

4. Water quality 
Rain water from discharged mine effluent and spillage from tailings and waste rock
impoundments, impacts fresh water, as does the intensive use of water in ore mining.
Mining, by its very essence, absorbs, diverts, and pollutes water.
 5. Hazardous waste
Metal mining produces hundreds of millions of pounds of hazardous waste per year, but
mining waste is excluded from the special handling and disposal needed for hazardous
waste due to a loophole in the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. For
example, the metal mining sector released 2.8 billion pounds of toxics to air, water, and
land in 2001, accounting for 45 percent of all toxins emitted by the industry.

Social Impacts:

1. Sexual and gender based violence (SGBV)

Inside Large-Scale Mining activities, sexual assault continues to be the most common
type of abuse. Women workers believe they are unable to refuse male employees' orders
because doing so could result in unemployment or denial of promotion. It is also
common in small-scale mining operations. This involves the exchange of sexual favors
in order to acquire access to the mining field or to obtain support from men in crushing
hard rock. 
Domestic violence is mostly experienced by women as a result of unequal power
structures and social changes brought on by mining in the region. Domestic violence
against women may be aggravated by increased cash flows, labor displacement, or the
lack of livelihoods due to forced relocation. Although woman activists face the same
dangers as men, they are often subjected to additional challenges such as verbal assault,
stalking, and rape, many of which are influenced by gender roles.

2. Child Labor 
Children should avoid mining because it is particularly hazardous. Thousands of them
can still be found in Africa, Asia, and South America's small-scale mines.   Miners
harvest raw materials with their hands and tools, remove metal, and market it through
informal networks. The intensive work could permanently damage a child's bones and
muscles.

3. Negative health impacts due to pollution 

The small-scale artisanal mining faces unique challenges not seen in large-scale mines,
such as the link between mining and health issues such as ; psychosocial, cardiovascular,
respiratory, and sexual risks, as well as dietary, water, and sanitation issues, resulting in
malaria, upper respiratory tract diseases, especially pulmonary tuberculosis and silicosis,
and skin diseases.

4. Corruption 
One of the most important economic fields is mining. It is the most appealing sector
both within and outside the country because of its contribution to GDP and success in
export earnings. This interest for mining operations, though, is overshadowed by a great
suspicion of corruption.  We examine reasons that justify mining enterprises' unethical
activity in their respective locations in the current study. This behavioral approach-based
local level research has found several important local variables that encourage
corruption. Using data on corruption suspicions, a conclusion was formed, that the
negative impact of mining operations on local communities' well-being would contribute
to these businesses corrupting local, religious, civic, and social leaders.