The 4th industrial revolution and its implications for mining-dependent countries

Abstract

The mining industry is key to the economic fortunes of many countries in Africa. The sector is a major earner of foreign exchange, a significant source of employment and a potential catalyst to the industrialisation of the continent. The continent dominates the production and export of mineral commodities. Despite this, the continent remains poor, characterised by inconsistencies in economic progress- linked to the over dependence on this mineral wealth. Despite this in many countries, the mining sector remains key to economic and social development. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in using mining and mineral resources as a catalyst to local industrialisation, a key pre-requisite for sustainable improvement of the wellbeing of the regions citizenry.