South Africa: from resources to riches?

摘要

South Africa remains one of the world's leading mining and mineral-processing countries and one of the strongest economies in Africa even though it was impacted by the financial crisis. The country is home to some of the world's greatest mining resources such as gold, diamonds and platinum but also industrial minerals including andalusite, chromite, graphite, wollastonite and zircon to just name a few (see table p. 44). Over the last few years, South Africa has achieved an average growth of 3.3%/year mainly thanks to its growing mining industry which saw a tenfold increase in terms of minerals sales from R30.9bn ($4.4bn.) in 1987 to R300bn ($42,8bn.) in 2008 according to the ministry of mines (see South Africa, at a glance). Meanwhile, the country has undergone dramatic change particularly since the end of apartheid in 1994.