Africa’s growing investment in critical minerals must be matched by stronger planning for the environmental, economic and social consequences that mining activities could leave for future generations, Dr. Kgomotso Tshaka has said.
Speaking at a webinar organised by the African Centre for Energy Transition (ACCET) on Friday, November 6, 2026, under the theme “Rethinking Africa’s Mining Legacy: From Mine Closure to Community Regeneration,” Dr. Tshaka cautioned that the continent’s expanding mineral ambitions could create new long-term challenges if the pace of extraction is not matched by investment in rehabilitation and community regeneration.
Dr. Tshaka, a mining and sustainability executive, researcher and author whose work spans critical minerals, mine closure, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and resource governance, argued that decisions made during the current period of mineral development would have consequences extending well beyond the operating lives of individual mines.
Her concerns are particularly relevant as demand for minerals needed for the global energy transition creates new opportunities for African countries to attract investment and expand extraction. However, the economic benefits of the mining boom need to be considered alongside the environmental liabilities and social pressures that could remain after production ends.
A central concern is whether rehabilitation and community transition are progressing at the same pace as extraction. Where mining activities expand without adequate preparation for closure, future generations could inherit degraded environments, water challenges and communities whose economies remain heavily dependent on industries that are no longer operating.
Dr. Tshaka identified water security as one of the critical issues that could shape the future of former mining areas. She noted that water scarcity and the management of contaminated water could constrain the use of former mining land for agriculture, ecological restoration and other economic activities.
The implications extend beyond the immediate mining communities. Where environmental damage affects water resources and surrounding ecosystems, the consequences can persist long after companies have completed their operations, placing additional pressure on communities and public institutions.
She also drew attention to the different experiences of African mining jurisdictions, including Zambia, South Africa, Namibia and Ghana, highlighting challenges ranging from social abandonment and fragmented institutional responsibilities to regulatory gaps and the uneven progress of socioeconomic rehabilitation.
These experiences raise questions about whether existing mine closure arrangements are sufficient to protect communities and public resources from the long-term costs of extraction.
For Dr. Tshaka, addressing these risks requires governments and mining companies to treat closure planning as part of the investment decision from the beginning, rather than an obligation to be addressed towards the end of a mine’s operating life.
This includes accounting for rehabilitation costs throughout the life of a mine, undertaking progressive rehabilitation while operations are still generating revenue, and establishing arrangements that can support communities and environmental management after production stops.
The issue also requires stronger institutional and financial arrangements to ensure that responsibilities do not disappear when mining companies exit. Dr. Tshaka pointed to the need for mechanisms such as rehabilitation guarantees, ring-fenced transition funds and long-term institutions capable of supporting post-mining communities.
Ultimately, Africa’s critical minerals opportunity will be judged not only by how much the continent extracts or the investment it attracts, but also by the condition of its communities, water resources and ecosystems after those resources have been exhausted. The decisions being made today will help determine whether the mineral boom leaves behind lasting economic value or long-term liabilities for future generations.
