Comparison of financial investment & return on the capital in the mining industries of the developing countries – case studies

Abstract

Mining is one of the most important industries in our society and has been for ages. The resources extracted from the earth are fundamental in providing us with the quality of life we enjoy each day from the cars we drive to our cell phones we use. The food we eat was produced and harvested by machinery formed out of metals and mineral resources. The clothes we wear are treated and coated with dyes created from a variety of elements. Some fabrics are completely constructed from mined materials. It is not surprising to see that mineral resources have been widely spread throughout the world in almost every continent. Economical extraction and use of these resources is what is essential to every country in its development.

For a country to effectively mine its natural resources is one of its biggest advantages and assets. In this age when every item seems to be linked to mining directly or indirectly a country‘s mineral wealth is far more valued above everything else. And as we read this not only the developed countries but also the developing countries are in the forefront of the mining industry. Small-scale mining is expanding rapidly and often uncontrollably in many developing countries. Slowly this small scale mining is turning into a full-fledged industry. As many as 80-100 million people worldwide depend for their livelihoods on the often scant proceeds of small-scale mining, roughly the same amount as for the more visible, large-scale mining sector.