Mining in Uganda
a) Examine the problems affecting the mining industry in Uganda b) What are the solutions , steps and measures to the problems
Approach
Define mining
.....
Status/situation Types/ areas Sketch map with types and areas Problems
- (b)
- Suggesting solutions, steps and measures
Mining is the extraction of organic and inorganic substances found in rocks naturally like metallic, none metallic and mineral, fuels.
Status/ solutions;
I. Contributes from 1.2%-6.3% to GDP
- II.
- Negative trend in production since 1999
- III.
- None active mining areas copper in kilembe, tin in kitagate, phosphates,asbestos in
Tororo.
IV. Small scale mining gold in karamoja, busia V. Large scale mining , limestone in Tororo and Hima VI. Oil still under exploration in Bundibujo VII. Positive trend with sand, clay and quarrying
- VIII.
- Cobalt is being recycled at kasese
IX. Mining is small scale and contributes less to GDP
Types/ areas
.......
Gold Busia, Karamoja, Bushenyi Tin Ruhama, Kitagate Oil Semuliki basin around L Albert Sand,clay at Kajjansi Copper and cobalt at Kilembe Salt lake Katwe Iron ore wolfram, tungstain, Kabala, berrythum, Kisoro plains.
A sketch map of Uganda showing mining areas KEY;
Co Cb Gcopper cobalt gold wommwolfram oil manganese sa mica scl salt clay sand ablapatite berryllium limestone
- I
- iron ore
- u
- uranium
Problems facing mining are physical and human
Exhaustion of minerals like wolfram in kabala, tin in kitagate. High cost of mineral exploration like oil around L Albert and gold in karamoja Minerals in small qualities and scattered like iron ore and tin in kabala, gold in Busia,
Karamoja
Poor quality minerals which are unecommercial like copper in kilembe,iron ore in kabala Poor science and technology affecting exploitation like oil in semuliki valley, gold in karamoja.
Limited capital for investment leading to mining on a small scale like copper in kilembe oil in Bundibujo.
Price fluctuations on the world market affecting copper mining and cobalt in Kasese. Limited market causing low production like copper in kilembe Limited power supply causing low production like copper in kilembe. Political instabilities scaring labour supply and investors like LRA by Kony hindering mining in karamoja, ADF rebels hindering oil in Bundibujo.
Rugged and steep slopes affecting exploitation like copper in kilembe oil in Bundibujo, tin in kabala.
Harsh climatic conditions affecting labour productivity like heat in karamoja, coldness in
Mt Rwenzori for copper
Accidents in the mines destroying people and property like gold mining in Bushenyi. Limited research on mineral exploitation like oil in Bundibujo, gold in karamoja. Poor transport affecting marketing and the movement of workers like gold in karamoja, copper in kilembe.
Competition on the world market because of other countries and substitutes like copper and cobalt and with other sector like agriculture.
Competition and embezzlement like katwe salt project. Profit repatriation by foreign investors causing capital out flow like Heritage gas for oil in
Bundibujo, Hima and Tororo cement companies.
Restrictions from environmentalists like cobalt in Rwenzori national park and limestone and sand, clay mining in wetlands of Buganda,Ankole
Hostile tribes scaring investors and workers like the karamajong affecting gold mining and oil exploration.
Poor government policies like not giving loans gazetting mining areas and beaucracy. Presence of physical obstacles making expensive like hard rocks for copper in kilembe.
Solutions to the problems of mining ways of development in Uganda;
Economic intergration like the revival of EAC, COMESA,PTA. This will help in joint investment, bargaining power and reduce on unfair competition e.g. phosphates in Tororo by PTA, EAC.
Anti smuggling. This is being monitored by Uganda revenue authority. It increases on taxation and environmental protection, protectionism. Economic diversification. Developing other economic activities to reduce on problems of economic dependence like price fractuations, unemployment, BOP, T.O.T. it supplements other activities like tourism, agriculture, and fishing.
Political stability through regional cooperation like EAC, OAU, internal defense, good governance (constitution). This help in attracting local and foreign investors and limit expenditure on defense, develop infrastructure. Development of transport by constructing railway lines and using water transport because minerals are bulk and heavy they need cheap means of transport like port bell connecting to dar-es-salam,kasese railway line. Attracting foreign investors by giving them subsides. This will lead to capital in flow skilled labour as being done by Uganda investment authority, ministry of finance for example cormens, cobalt, Kasese, Belgians oil L Albert, south Africa, gold Karamoja. Market research through advertisement on radios, news papers, magazines, trade shows (local and foreign international relations, economic integration, presidents office, economic monitoring.
Ropession of goods to former owners this has helped in attracting investors, good management and increase in industrial production. Power supply through dam extension like kiira dam and nalubale dam to reduce load shading, developing other potentials like Bujagali falls, kabalega falls, kamudini kitagate, maziba.
Developing industries. Industries help in processing minerals for easy exploitation, exportation and minerals are used as raw materials in industries adding on market. Getting loans from development agencies to solve the problem of capital because development agencies give long term loans, charge small interest. The capital is used in purchasing equipment developing infrastructure paying labour like ADB, EADB. Promotion of research in mineral exploration, the quantity, quality depth uses location. This will help in exploitation marketing like gold in karamoja, oil near L Albert. Rehabilitation of mining areas by developing social services like roads, pipeline, power supply drainage for cobalt mining in Kasese by Germans
Privatization and liberalization of the mining operations. They help in attracting local and foreign investors with better management leading to increase in production for example, Tororo cement and Hima cement. Formation of agencies to help traders, industrialists, exporters, importers, investors like UIA, URA, UCCI, and UMA. They help in monitoring, mediating with government. They supplement government efforts. Giving initial capitalization fund (entadikwa) to small scale miners, traders because they
don’t have security for loans for commercial banks and development agencies. They also
use micro finance projects like pride Africa. These are being monitored by ministry of finance.
Coordination of government programmes, policies. This will help in resource exploitation for development purposes and environmental protection. Training skilled labour by developing science and technology like MUST,UPK. They will provide skilled labour like engineers, technicians, surveyors. Getting areas with mineral, resources to reduce on excessive exploitation like sand and clay in wetlands. Protection of the infant industries to reduce on unfair competition like importation of some commodities for example cement from Kenya, bambuli Portland, Dar-es-salam.
Revision questions;
- Qn.
- Asses the contribution of the mining sector to the economy of Uganda
Approach;
Define mining Status/ situation Types/ areas Sketch map for types and areas Advantages Disadvantages Conclusion
Mining is the extraction of earth resources like metallic, non metallic and mineral, fuels which are organic and inorganic substances found in the earth crust naturally.
Status / situation
.......
Contributes 6% to GDP Negative trend in production since 1999 Active mining in limestone, sand, clay and gold. Closed mines of phosphates, asbestos, tin, iron ore, copper Exploration of oil in bundibujo Small scale mining of gold, tungsten, wolfram, iron ore. Mining companies, foreign.
Types / areas
.......
Kasese region with copper, cobalt, salt, limestone. Tororo region asbestos, phosphates, limestone Kigezi highlands tungsten, wolfram, tin, iron ore, volcanic ash L Victoria basin Buganda region, clay, sand at Kasenyi, shares of L Victoria. Karamoja region gold, oil, lead, zinc, berythum, iron ore. Gold mines in Busia, Ibanda, Bushenyi, Ibanda L Albert region oil, tin in Ruhama, Kitagate, Kabale.
A sketch map of Uganda showing mining areas. KEY
CCb Scopper cobalt salt twItungsten wolfram iron ore laglimestone asbestos gold
Sa Cl osand clay oil vpvolcanic ash phosphate mmmica manganese
Mining has advantages and disadvantages in Uganda’s development
Advantages;
Development of industries sand, clay for Uganda clays Kajjansi, limestone, cryspum for cement in Tororo and Hima.
Foreign exchange by exporting cobalt,tungsten, wolfram, to china, USA, Japan. Employment for high standards of living like Kilembe mines, Tororo, Sukulu hills. Development of towns because of high population and industries like Kasese due to copper Kajjansi clay and sand.
Improvement in social services like Mubuku power plant near Kilembe mines. Improvement in transport like a railway to Kasese for copper exploitation and to Hima and Tororo for limestone
International relations with importing countries like Japan, Britain, USA, importing gold, cobalt.
Economic diversification by influencing other activities like transport, trade, tourism, industralisation like Kasese, Tororo districts.
Government revenue through taxation of people and companies like Hima, and Tororo cement, companies Kilembe mines.
Education and research for skills and technology like Kilembe mines, Tororo and Hima cement factories.
Development of agriculture by providing market like Kilembe mines, phosphates for fertilizers in Tororo.
Development of tourism industry earning foreign exchange like Kilembe mines, oil in
Bundibujo.
Source of capital by foreign investors like heritage Gas Company, Hima and Tororo cement companies.
Alternative land use in areas with limited resources like gold in Karamoja. Resource exploitation for economic growth and development improving the GDP like cobalt in Kasese.
Disadvantages;
Environmental degradation by open cast method like copper and cobalt in Kilemebe, limestone in Tororo and Hima.
Pollution by wastes and sewage like L Victoria by Kajjansi clay works, Rwenzori NP by
Kilembe and Hima.
Limited land by gazetting areas displacing people like oil in Bundibujo, copper in
Kilembe.
Rural urban migration causing rural and urban problems like slums in Kilembe because of copper.
Over exploitation or resources causing income inequalities, wage differences and labour mobility like copper exhaustion in Kilembe.
Economic dependence like copper exhaustion in Uganda Diversion of labour and capital affecting other sectors like limestone in Tororo and
Hima.
Profit repatriation by foreign investors like heritage Gas Company, limestone for Tororo and Hima cement factories.
Marketing problems because of price fluctuation affecting planning like copper and cobalt.
Conflicts and tensions due to discovery of minerals like oil in Masindi, Bullisa. Bleeding grounds like depression by mining like sand and clay at Kajjansi, shores of L
Victoria.
Unemployment due to specialization and development of ghost towns like Kilembe,
Katwe.
Promotion of soil erosion like gulley in around Kilembe mines, landslides like rock fall, rock slide, rock slump in Kigezi highlands, Mt Rwenzori.
The advantages of mining in Uganda are more compared to disadvantages in Uganda’s
economic development.
QN. discuss the factors which determine the exploitation of minerals in Uganda Approach;
Define mining Status / situation Factors for mining Physical and human
Mining is the exploitation of earth surfaces from rocks like metallic and non metallic mineral, fuels found as organic and inorganic substances naturally.
Status / situation
Mining still on small scale Exhausted minerals copper, tin, iron ore, phosphates, asbestos Small scale mining for gold, wolfram, tungsten Exploration of oil in Bundibujo Recycling of cobalt in Kasese Foreign companies dominate Contributes less to GDP around 6%
Types / areas
Limestone in Tororo and Hima Gold in Karamoja, Busia, Ibanda, Bushenyi Copper and cobalt at Kilembe Salt lake Katwe Oil in Bundibujo, Karamoja Sand, clay at Kajjansi, shores of L Victoria Berythum, manganese, mica in Karamoja, Mubende Tin, wolfram, tungsten in Kabale, Kisoro, Iron ore.
A sketch map of Uganda showing mining areas KEY
CCb Gcopper cobalt gold tIvstungsten iron ore volcanic ash salt mmomica manganese oil alpsa asbestos limestone phosphates
- sand cl
- W
- wolfram
- b
- berythum
- clay
The factors for mining are physical and human
I. Large qualities of minerals for large scale exploitation like limestone in Tororo and Hima, sand and clay at Kajjansi.
- II.
- Good quality minerals causing less pollution and having high demand like gold in
Karamoja, Busia.
- III.
- Low depth of minerals easy for exploitation using open cast method like copper and
cobalt at Kilembe, limestone, Tororo and Hima.
IV. Flat and gentle slopes helping exploitation, mechanization, transport and drainage like
Sukulu mills in Tororo, Hima for limestone.
V. Water supply used by the miners for drainage and cooling machines and for dumping wastes like R Mubuku, for Kilembe mines, L Victoria for Kajjansi.
VI. Limited resources discouraging other activities like gold in Karamoja, copper in Kilembe. VII. Limited physical obstacles for easy exploitation like around Hima and Tororo.
- VIII.
- Power supply used in exploitation and industries like Mubuku power plant for Kilembe
mines, HEP for Tororo and Hima.
IX. Presence of industries for processing making equipment and raw materials like Hima and Tororo cement factories, Uganda clays Kajjansi.
X. Improved transport helping in marketing and movement of workers like railway line to
Kilembe, Tororo and Hima.
XI. Capital for investment like heritage Gas Company, hima and Tororo cement companies.
- XII.
- Political stability attracting investors and workers like at Kajjansi mines, exploration of
oil in Bundibujo.
- XIII.
- Government policies like gazetting mines giving loans like oil exploration in Bundibujo.
XIV. International relations with importing countries and giving loans like Britain, Japan, USA, and China.
XV. Market because of industries and high like clay and sand near Kampala, limestone for
Hima and Tororo cement factories and exporting like gold to USA, Japan, Italy.
XVI. Labour supply used in the mines and factories like around Kilembe mines, Kajjansi for clay and sand.
XVII. Research for easy exploitation and development like oil in Bundibujo XVIII. Improved science and technology helping in exploitation and processing like heritage gas company for oil in Bundibujo, Hima and Tororo cement companies
XIX. Good cultures and traditions attracting investors and workers like in Buganda for clay and sand at Kajjansi.
Study the table below showing mineral production in Uganda and answer the questions that follow; year
1975 1980 1985 1990
Annual production in 20 metric tons
676.9 595.8 452.6 445.0
(a) Draw a suitable graph to show the information in the table (b) Describe the trend of copper production (ii) Calculate the percentage change for mineral production btn 1975-1990 (a ) outline the steps being taken to solve the problems of mining in Uganda
Total mineral production 676.9+595.8+452.6+445.0=2170.3
- Average
- 2170.3= 542.6
4
Calculating divergences
year
1975 1980 1985 1990
income
676.9 595.8 452.6 445.0
average
542.6 542.6 542.6 542.6
divergence
134.3 53.2 0-97.6
Divergent bar graph showing mineral production in Uganda between 1975 and 1990 in 000 metric tons (b)(i) The decrease in mineral production for Uganda between 1975 to 1990
Percentage change
푛푒푤−표푙푑 x 100
표푙푑
445.0−676.9 x 100
676.9
231.9 x 100
676.9
-34.3%
Accounting for mineral production decline
Mineral exhaustion like copper, tin, iron ore, phosphates Competition with other countries on the world market. Presence of substitutes to minerals like scrap Political instabilities like ADF rebels in western Uganda Competition and embezzlement leading to poor services, mismanagement and low production
High mining costs because of minerals in deeper layers like copper in Kilembe Limited capital to invest in the mining sector Limited skilled labour because of poor science and technology Poor transport affecting marketing like in Bundibujo Limited research affecting exploitation like in Karamoja Presence of other economic activities scaring labour and investors
(c ) attracting investors like oil in Bundibujo and Karamoja. Political stability attracting investors like defeat of ADF rebels Research in mineral exploration, in oil Bundibujo Privatization and economic liberalization attracting investors like Hima and Tororo cement companies.
Government support by giving loans and gazetting mining areas Increasing power supply like new dam at Kiira. Market expansion by exporting to other countries like USA. Training skills by promoting sciences. Fighting corruption by using the IGG, PAC inquiries. Developing industries like HIMA and Tororo cement factories. Improving transport like road to Bundibujo.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION IN UGANDA
Qn (a) account for the low development of the transport sector in Uganda
(a) Outline the measures being taken to solve the above problems
Approach;
.....
Define types Give the types and areas Transport routes in Uganda Sketch map for transport routes Problems
(b) Solutions, steps, measures and policies
Transport is the movement of passengers, goods and services from one place to another facilitating the process of production. The types of transport include by road, air and water, railway.
Status / situation
Transport is still under developed Big improvement in communication, water routes in Uganda Lake Victoria ship services from port bell to Kisumu, Mwanza, Jinja, Kalangala ferry services from Bukakata and Entebbe to Kalangala.
Lake Kyoga ferry services from Lwampanga to Serere, Matadi, Masindi Lake George and Edward using boats through Kazinga channel to Katwe,Rwenstama Lake Albert ferry and boats between Butiaba, Wanseko, Kamuli to DRC and Arua. River Nile boats and ferry to Masindi, Pakwach,Ninvule, Kasenyi, Mahagi
Railway lines
........
Tororo, Kampala, Kasese Tororo, Lira, Gulu, Pakwach Jinja, Namasagali Kampala, Port bell Operational only Kampala, port bell and Kampala Tororo It handles 30-40% of Uganda bulky exports and imports to Mombasa or Dar es salaam Passenger train not operational Managed by rift valley railways
Roads in Uganda
Tarmac roads bound surface Kampala, Jinja, and Entebbe. Marrum roads, loose surface, Matuga, Nakaseke, Gulu, Kitgum Rural feeder roads, dry weather in rural areas.
Communication lines
....
Mango MTN Warid Zein
A sketch map of Uganda showing transport routes Problems facing the development of transport in Uganda
Lack of capital for construction, maintenance and rehabilitation. This is because Uganda is an LDC with limited GNP and GDP.
Poor science and technology in the construction and maintenance due to education system emphasizing arts more than sciences.
Political instabilities. Since independence Uganda has been having political instabilities.
They have destroyed transport routes, insecurity in some areas limits transport development. It increases expenditure on defence at the expense of social services like transport, like northern Uganda, Kasese.
Negligence of roads by local communities and negative attitudes to work leading to destruction of transport routes beyond repair.
Corruption and embezzlement of public funds for developing infrastructure and social services like transport sector.
Poor supervision leading to poor quality roads which are expensive to maintain. This is because of distance and poor morale among the workers.
Collapse of east Africa community in 1977 affected transport connections in East Africa like air services, railway, telecommunications which were jointly done.
Nature of settlement patterns, sparse settlement make it expensive and dense population lead to traffic jam like in urban areas like Kampala.
Water transport is affected by crocks, water falls, floating vegetation, gorges, and sand banks. All these hinder the development of water transport for example R Nile with water falls and rapids, R Katonga with floating papyrus vegetation L Victoria with floating water by cinth.
Physical features making barrier to transport, relief like mountains, highland escarpment, vegetation like forested areas, papyrus, swamps, poorly drained areas like lake shores of L Kyoga, low lands leading to many bridges making it expensive.