How much deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa has been caused by mining?

Abstract

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has emerged as a prominent destination for mining activities due to its abundant mineral reserves. A key question is understanding the extent to which the establishment and expansion of mines contribute to off-site forest disruptions. We conducted a comparative analysis by examining deforestation within a 1 km to 12 km buffer from the boundary of mines (treatments; i.e., 1–3 km, 3–6 km, 6–9 km, 9–12 km), and similar locations without mines (controls) but with comparable environmental characteristics. The rates of annual change were evaluated between treatments and controls, and before and after the establishment of mines from 2001 to 2020. The sampled treatment grids had a total of 6,633,876 ha of tree cover in year 2000, and lost 17.7 % within 2 decades, this was 47.5 % higher than the matched controls. Deforestation rates increased by 11,200 ha annually for mines established between 2009 and 2011 (the median years), relative to pre-creation of mines. Before mines were created, the average annual deforestation rate was 1665 ha, increasing 2.6-fold (4314 ha per year) following the creation of the mines. Our findings emphasize the urgent need for the mining sector to consider their broader offsite environmental costs in their impact assessments, carbon accounting, and associated investments in conservation protection.