Mining the Third World Mining in the developing world is hardly a new phenomenon, but in the last decade the affair between multi-national mining companies, third world governments and even the international community has gotten steamy. More developing countries are experiencing large-scale mining than ever before, at a cost to their resources and people that will not be fully realized until long after the sudden influx of cash is spent and the mines lie quiet. South America's untapped reserves, increasingly open economic stance and liberalized regulations and policies are attracting mining companies from all over the globe. Many countries of the mysterious continent have severely weakened mining and environmental regulations in recent years to entice foreign investment. Liberalization initiatives include cuts to legislation that in some cases have opened up large areas of virgin land and denied recourse to those who oppose mining activities.
New mines seem to pop up daily in the third world.
With twice as much money being spent on mineral exploration in South America than in any other region, countries like Ecuador can only expect the number of mines to increase further in the coming years. The average U.S. citizen uses 47,000 pounds of newly mined materials each year. As countries like China and India join the ranks of the first world consumer economies demand for raw materials will increase dramatically. The mineral rich continents of South America and Africa should prepare for a rush on their resources the likes of which they've never seen. Mining's Effects Humans have mined for thousands of years, for as long as they have employed metals and rocks in their daily lives.