HOW DOES MINERAL EXTRACTION SHAPE LANDSCAPE: CASE STUDY IN MADAGASCAR

Mining brings both wealth and problems. Despite the fact that 80% of Malagasy rely on agriculture, mining of mineral resources is one of Madagascar`s major sources of income and employment. However large and small-scales open-pit mining of metal, non-metallic minerals and gemstones have considerable environmental impacts. The purpose of this work is to describe and to assess the current environmental problems seen around large-scale chromite open-pit mines of Briéville-Telomita, northwestern central Madagascar and in Ilakaka`s small-scale sapphire mines, southern central Madagascar. By using Google Earth images, simple geomorphologic analyses and field survey, we conclude that massive changes of landscape, heavy erosion, water pollution and loss of native vegetation are the most common environmental impacts in both types of mining, while small-scale mining is usually associated with more severe safety and health issues as well as severe land degradation such as abundant abandoned excavation pits. Madagascar`s small-scale artisanal mining is generally unplanned, and operations are conducted with extensive and continues pitting and trenching but without any regulation and guidance. Furthermore, the lack of post-closure plans and mine rehabilitation strategies aggravate the already severe environmental issues. To tackle the issues, it is recommended that government, NGO, mine owners and miners are made aware of the environmental consequences of mining, and that the applicable law and regulations should be enforced and applied accordingly.