Mining is an important economic activity for many developing countries, especially mineral-rich countries whose economic activities are largely natural resources dependent. The mining sector plays a significant role in revenue generation, local infrastructure and economic development, employment generation as well as livelihood improvement in many resource dependent countries. Due to the importance of mining, the last few decades have witnessed a dramatic growth in mineral prospecting and development, particularly, across the developing world.
However, mining is generally perceived as destructive, and a usurpation of communal resources for corporate and individual benefits. There are polarized views about the benefits and burdens of mining to mine-take communities. For many an observer, mining is bad for development and mines have often been associated with appalling labour conditions, unequal distribution of wealth and unsustainable patterns of development and growth.
This study examines the connections between natural resource extraction and development in mine take communities using the Ahafo area operated by Newmont Goldcorp in Ghana as a study case. The study explores how to navigate the resource curse’ narrative associated with resource extraction and provide a learning platform for government and policy makers in the natural resource exploitation arena.
