Unearthed

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: We invite scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to contribute chapters to an edited volume: “Extractive Justice and Critical Minerals in Africa: Governance, Leadership, and the Global Energy Transition.

Ruvarashe Makonese

Mineral Law in Africa Colloquium VIIII Venue: Atlantic-Villa Boutique Hotel Swakopmund, Namibia 12–14 November 2025.

Ruvarashe Makonese

Hanri Mostert

Mpho Sehlabo

Mpho Sehlabo

Masande Qumba

Masande Qumba

Didintle Molefe

Didintle Molefe

Didintle Molefe

Didintle Molefe

Ruvarashe Makonese

Due to the generally dismissive attitude towards GBVH, women’s Month presents an opportunity for the government, corporations, and political parties to boast of their social activism to gain favour and support from the public.

Picture a world where mining companies enjoy reduced operations costs, increased efficiency, and continuous productivity while enhancing workers' health and safety. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bring about this reality.

South African mining companies continue to neglect the health and safety of mineworkers. Might class-action lawsuits provide justice and better working conditions?

The Mining Indaba must be careful not to further perpetuate the harmful and exclusionary industry narratives and ensure that young people are also given a seat at the table.

One way in which the State can achieve such ends is by convincing investors to move away from conventional extractive practices and shift towards renewable forms of energy.

South Africa’s mining sector is the backbone of its economy. As the fifth largest in the world, it employs hundreds of thousands of people and generates billions in tax revenues.

The act of mining is already burdensome on earth. Mining risks more than tenfold in space. Mining in outer space is thus something that can only be considered for nations already comfortably able to explore outer space.

Outer space: the final frontier. That exciting neighbourhood just beyond the earth’s reach where wishes upon stars live (although if you would like to be more technical about it

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mining sector and host communities can only be characterised as far-reaching and devastating.

The expropriation of subsurface land rights as it relates to the petroleum industry may be instrumental in transforming the industry by eliminating neo-colonialism and the influences of apartheid.

As discussed in part I of this blog, the effects of imperialism and colonialism are still prevalent in the African oil and gas industry.

Unethical practices by Transnational Oil Companies (TOCs) have had a detrimental impact on the socioeconomic and environmental development of resource-rich countries, which are usually developing, poverty-stricken states.

The old saying “if it cannot be grown, it must be mined” poi