Third World Mining

Amidst all of the hysteria over global warming, the standard issues of environmental protection get swept aside. Today's Wall Street Journal has an article about mining companies heading into the more troubled parts of Africa in search of minerals such as copper. Here's the video that goes along with their story.

Two things struck me about this. One is that Congo is such a train wreck that there's no way proper environmental safeguards will be in place. I haven't looked for it, but I'm sure there are press reports of American mining companies causing environmental damage. Chinese mining companies are getting in on the act, too. With the way they've wrecked their own country, it boggles the mind to think what the Chinese are doing in someone else's.

The second thing has nothing to do with the environment. As commodity prices increase and mines in developed nations become depleted, the temptation to go into basket cases like Congo grows. Unfortunately, the Congolese aren't ready for it. They've spent all of their energy shooting each other and wrecking things instead of building their country.

The Congo has one of the world's most dysfunctional economies, with a fragile government, little in the way of basic infrastructure and widespread poverty and desperation. Conflict continues in some areas, especially places with natural resources, and corruption is endemic, exposing foreign companies to routine requests for bribes. Basic amenities like banks and reliable medical facilities are scarce.

Despite their self-destruction, the locals still find time to blame the mining companies for their problems.

Many in the area appear to support the (foreign mining) project. But residents in Lubumbashi and elsewhere complain that foreign mining companies in general aren't doing enough to dole out jobs and benefits...In Lubumbashi, some residents say they know new investment is needed, but they still feel the Congo is being exploited by foreigners.

I don't know, guys. Maybe if you had spent a little more time building roads and a little less time arming your twelve-year-olds with AK-47s and having them shoot up the place, you wouldn't be being exploited now.