AN AGENDA FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING OF TRANSITION MINERALS IN AFRICA

The document argues for a shift away from destructive virgin mining toward circular economies and strategic land-use planning in Africa. It highlights the risks transition mineral extraction poses to water security, food supply, carbon sinks, and biodiversity, while calling for the formalisation of artisanal mining and the enforcement of labour rights. The paper recommends that mining licences be contingent on guaranteed funding for rehabilitation and that international cooperation, including traceability frameworks and fair finance, be established to prevent the 'resource curse'.

• The document advocates for the creation of circular economies for transition minerals to reduce the reliance on destructive virgin mining. This includes recovering minerals from mining tailings, polluted water, and 'urban mining' (recycling post-consumer waste like EV batteries). Examples include aluminium recycling in Nigeria supporting 5,000 jobs and a cobalt recycling partnership in Morocco.
• Strategic national land-use frameworks are recommended to weigh the benefits of mining against other critical land uses. The paper identifies high-risk overlaps where mining could disrupt 'water towers' (high-altitude river sources), high-yield agricultural land, carbon sinks, and biodiversity hotspots. It suggests establishing 'no-go areas' for mining before projects reach the environmental impact assessment stage.
• Mining of transition minerals presents significant environmental risks, particularly regarding water. Lithium extraction is noted for having the highest water risks. In Chile, 80% of copper production occurs in high water-stress locations. The document also notes that 84% of direct mining-related deforestation over the last 20 years occurred in just 10 countries, with bauxite-linked deforestation being a major driver in Australia, Brazil, Ghana, and Indonesia.
• Social sustainability requires the implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for local and Indigenous communities. The paper notes that 33% of transition mineral projects in Africa are located on or near Indigenous or peasant land. It highlights labour rights violations in 2023, including child labour and occupational health risks, and calls for the formalisation of artisanal mining to protect workers.
• The paper recommends that prospecting permits and mining licences only be granted if the business case proves sufficient funds are available for rehabilitation and offsets. It argues that best-practice guidelines for biodiversity and water management must be translated into mandatory regulations to ensure they are followed, as a 2014 WWF report found a one-third non-adherence rate to biodiversity principles in South Africa.
• Multilateral cooperation is proposed to improve outcomes, including the use of the African Union’s Green Minerals Observatory and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. The document suggests that BRICS countries and the African Union could coordinate to increase negotiation clout and beneficiation. It also notes that African countries lose between USD$470 million and USD$730 million annually in corporate income tax due to multinational tax avoidance.

APA

Rivett-Carmac, K., Naudé, L., Reeler, J., & de Kock, L. (n.d.). AN AGENDA FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING OF TRANSITION MINERALS IN AFRICA. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-responsible-mining-of-transition-minerals_web_18aug25.pdf

Chicago

Rivett-Carmac, Kate, Louise Naudé, James Reeler, and Lorren de Kock. AN AGENDA FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING OF TRANSITION MINERALS IN AFRICA. WWF South Africa, n.d. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-responsible-mining-of-transition-minerals_web_18aug25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rivett-Carmac |first1=Kate |last2=Naudé |first2=Louise |last3=Reeler |first3=James |last4=de Kock |first4=Lorren |title=AN AGENDA FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING OF TRANSITION MINERALS IN AFRICA |publisher=WWF South Africa |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-responsible-mining-of-transition-minerals_web_18aug25.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rivettcarmacndagenda, author = {Rivett-Carmac, Kate and Naudé, Louise and Reeler, James and de Kock, Lorren}, title = {{AN AGENDA FOR RESPONSIBLE MINING OF TRANSITION MINERALS IN AFRICA}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-responsible-mining-of-transition-minerals_web_18aug25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }