Africa's ecosystems imperilled by mining frenzy

[Extract] Africa sustains some of the most spectacular ecosystems on the planet - from the Sergengeti to the Congo Basin to the Eastern Arc forests. But those ecosystems and their iconic wildlife are now facing their greatest peril, writes William Laurance - a mining boom of unprecedented intensity. One the one hand, this mineral-fueled feeding frenzy has the potential to deliver direly needed economic growth to a continent whose population is still skyrocketing. The United Nations projects that Africa's population will nearly quadruple, from 1.1 to 4.2 billion people, by the end of this century. Yet on the other hand, the mining boom carries massive risks for the African environment and societies. In a recent article in Conservation Letters, 'Mining and the African environment', my colleagues and I summarize some key implications of this 'African avalanche'.\u