African buzz
Gold mining reduces infant mortality rates
Large scale gold mining in sub-Saharan
Africa has reduced infant mortality in nearby
communities, with rates falling by 50% among
those born within 10km of a gold mine.
This is the conclusion of new research by Anja
Benshaul-Tolonen published in the May 2019
issue of The Economic Journal, who finds
that local industrial development may be an
effective way to reduce infant mortality in
developing countries with high mortality rates
from poverty. Drawing on data on women’s
fertility records from demographic and health
survey and large-scale gold mining data
from eight countries over 30 years, the study
shows that the average mortality rate in the
communities before the mines open is 151
deaths per 1 000 births.
This rate drops during the investment of
large-scale gold mining and continues to
fall following the mine opening. The author
finds that the rate drops by around 79 deaths
per 1 000 births. This is the equivalent of
the total gains in infant survival achieved in
12 AFRICAN MINING JULY - AUGUST 2019
sub-Saharan Africa since the 1970s. Many
children die of poverty and its consequences
with malnutrition and lack of basic health care
among the main culprits. According to the
author, the significant fall in infant mortality
may come from increases in economic growth
and that women living close to mines are
27% more likely to work in the service sector.
Similarly, there are other possible explanations
including increased health knowledge and
access to remedies.
While child mortality rates are still high
in Sub-Saharan Africa, with one in nine
children dying before their fifth birthday,
this fall in mortality is comparable to historic
reductions. For example, in China mortality
fell by 58 deaths per 1000 births between
1960-70, or 79 deaths between 1960-1980,
from an average of 121 deaths per 1 000
in 1960.
The author argues that industries can
increase local income levels, and thus reduce
poverty levels. But if these industries are
polluting, they can negatively affect health
in the population.
Angola to increase diamond production
The Angolan government intends to
increase the country’s annual production
of diamonds to 14 million carats,
compared to the current nine million
carats, according to Jânio Correia Victor,
the Secretary of State for Geology and
Mines of Angola. Victor said the current
market is stable, and it is therefore
possible to achieve this level of production.
Angola’s national diamond trading
company, Sodiam, made USD368.66-
million from the sale of 2.64 million carats
in the first quarter of 2019.
In the period under review, 94.6% of the
diamonds sold came from kimberlites,
with the difference made up of production
by alluvial diamonds, with the provinces of
Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul accounting
for 93.6% and 6.4% of total diamonds,
respectively. (Source: Macauhub)
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