- For every hectare (10,000 square metres) of active mine site in Africa, an additional 34 hectares of forest are lost to supporting infrastructure like roads, housing and agriculture, according to a new University of Sheffield-led study
- Between 2001 and 2020, 187,000 hectares of forest were converted to mines in Africa - an area roughly equivalent to the country of Mauritius
- Demand for green energy transition minerals like copper and cobalt - essential for electric vehicles and renewables - is a primary driver of this deforestation, with demand expected to grow 40-fold by 2040
- Researchers warn that current environmental assessments drastically underestimate mining's true footprint, calling for 'zero-deforestation' supply chains to protect vital forests from being sacrificed
Industrial-scale mining in Africa to support global supply chains is leading to unprecedented deforestation across the continent, with 34 hectares of forest removed for every single hectare of active mine site.
The scale of mining's deforestation footprint is laid bare in a new University of Sheffield-led study showing that, between 2001 and 2020, 187,000 hectares of forest were lost to mining activity in Africa - an area roughly equivalent in size to the country of Mauritius.
Using satellite imagery and statistical modelling, researchers found that vast swathes of forest are being lost to make way for the infrastructure supporting mines, such as roads, housing settlements and agricultural land to feed workers.
The first large-scale study of mining-triggered deforestation across Africa, published in Nature, compared deforestation rates in mined areas to geographically similar non-mined areas.
Mines extracting cobalt and copper were found to cause the highest rates of overall deforestation. These metals are critical components in renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles and household electronics. Mining for high value minerals such as gold and silver, and critical manufacturing minerals such as iron, also drove higher rates of deforestation.
Co-lead author Dr Oscar Morton, from the University of Sheffield's School of Biosciences, said: "The actual mines themselves are just the tip of the iceberg. It's the extent of additional deforestation triggered by mining that is far greater, with new settlements, agriculture and transport routes posing a serious threat to vital forests across the continent.
"As demand for minerals continues to rapidly grow, it's crucial that robust measures are put in place to limit the extra deforestation caused by mining and its supply chains."
