Sustainable Prospecting for Natural Resources: Impacts and Implications

摘要

In South Africa, there are various legislative frameworks governing and regulating prospect for virtually all the natural resources spread across the landscape of the country. Compliance and tacit approval by the regulators at the appropriate institutions and government departments are mandatory before the commencement of any prospecting or mining activity and operation. Considering that, a lot of mining activities and natural resources exploration and exploitation are usually driven by profits; companies tend to downgrade the importance of protecting the land and environment. This research examined how the regulatory frameworks are being used and applied for the purposes of ensuring sustainable natural resources exploration and exploitation. It considered the importance of safeguarding and protecting of land, heritage sites and community where the activities are being conducted and the necessary measures that are in place to prevent land degradation and destruction to the environment. It concluded by elucidating that prospecting for natural resources in water, on land and anywhere in South Africa can be done in sustainable ways without destroying other useful components in the environment necessary for a healthy life.