From lithium to copper, mining in Africa threatens the environment. Study finds threat of mining has so far been largely underestimated.
Mining is rapidly causing deforestation of large areas of tropical rainforests, where great apes live. Researchers also note that because mining companies are not required to make biodiversity data public, the true environmental impact of mining could be even higher. “The lack of data sharing by mining projects hinders our scientific understanding of the real impact on great apes and their habitat,” notes first author Jessica Junker of Re:wild.