Interventions for Ensuring the Sustainability of the Small Scale Mining Sector in Namibia

H. Musiyarira, Ditend Tesh, M. Pillalamarry, N. Namate
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引用次数: 2

Abstract

Many reports have been written about the issues surrounding small scale miners’ challenges in Namibia; yet little has been done to address these challenges. There has been a fragmented approach to address these challenges. Various government arms and donor organizations have utilized piece meal methods in the past in trying to make improvements on the productivities across the sector, but with no meaningful success. This has led to the design and implementation of inappropriate technologies and support services for the sector. The structures of many of the semi-precious stones mining businesses are informal, with very little royalties received by the government. Miners often work informally or illegally and they fear government interference and they distrust outsiders, resulting in them withholding production information. The presence of small scale miners is quite often associated with major challenges, including poor safety and environmental management standards, the spread of communicable diseases and poor working conditions. The majority of the miners employ uncontrolled extraction techniques which damage the crystals and mineral specimens, resulting in intermediate and final products of low quality along with high wastage at the extraction stage. The vision of the Namibian government is to expand the range and value of semi-precious stones and jewelry products processed within Namibia, while curbing illicit flows of raw stones. This will simultaneously secure maximum benefit for the country. This study investigated the interventions aimed at making the small scale mining sector in Namibia sustainable. A baseline study was conducted to analyze the current situation and characterize the industry, including a SWOT analysis. Information was collected through questionnaires, interviews, consultative meetings, field visits and workshops in order to profile the sector. The baseline study results were used in developing interventions for improving artisanal and small scale mining operations. The main challenges for the Namibian semi-precious sector were identified as: factual information about raw material resources and its beneficiation are insufficient or not available, lack of skills, lack of education and access to finances, rudimentary exploration and mining practices, trading and logistics that are not functioning effectively and inadequate sector governance. One key finding of this study was that Namibia is not benefiting through value addition due partly to illicit flows of the uncut stones and to the fact that lapidary is not much pronounced to a greater extent.  The following strategic interventions were identified as key in ensuring the sustainability of the small mining sector in Namibia: conducting geological assessment to identify new deposits and quantify the existing ones, improving exploration and mining practices, investing in education and training, creating an enabling environment and improving the sector governance and strengthening the sector organization and supporting the infrastructure.
确保纳米比亚小型采矿部门可持续性的干预措施
许多报道都是关于纳米比亚小型矿工所面临的挑战;然而,在应对这些挑战方面做得很少。应对这些挑战的方法是分散的。过去,各种政府部门和捐助组织都曾利用零碎饭的方法试图提高整个部门的生产力,但没有取得有意义的成功。这导致了该部门设计和实施不适当的技术和支持服务。许多半宝石开采企业的结构是非正式的,政府收到的特许权使用费很少。矿工们经常从事非正式或非法的工作,他们害怕政府干预,也不信任外人,导致他们隐瞒生产信息。小规模矿工的存在往往与重大挑战有关,包括安全和环境管理标准差、传染病蔓延和工作条件差。大多数矿工采用不受控制的提取技术,这会破坏晶体和矿物标本,导致中间和最终产品质量低,并且在提取阶段浪费很大。纳米比亚政府的愿景是扩大在纳米比亚境内加工的半宝石和珠宝产品的范围和价值,同时遏制原石的非法流动。这将同时确保国家获得最大利益。这项研究调查了旨在使纳米比亚小规模采矿部门可持续发展的干预措施。进行了基线研究,以分析现状和行业特征,包括SWOT分析。通过调查表、面谈、协商会议、实地访问和讲习班收集资料,以便对该部门进行概况介绍。基线研究结果用于制定干预措施,以改善手工和小规模采矿作业。确定纳米比亚半宝石部门面临的主要挑战是:关于原材料资源及其选矿的事实资料不足或无法获得、缺乏技能、缺乏教育和获得资金的机会、基本的勘探和采矿做法、不能有效运作的贸易和物流以及部门管理不足。这项研究的一个关键发现是,纳米比亚没有从增值中获益,部分原因是未经切割的宝石非法流动,以及在更大程度上不太明显的事实。会议确定下列战略干预措施是确保纳米比亚小型采矿部门可持续性的关键:进行地质评估以确定新的矿藏和对现有矿藏进行量化,改进勘探和采矿做法,投资于教育和培训,创造有利的环境,改善部门管理,加强部门组织和支持基础设施。
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