Rare earth elements impact nearly every aspect of modern life. Elements and minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, and cobalt support clean energy, technologies that can power electric vehicles, telescope lenses, computer screens, and more. These elements are stored deep within the earth, so extracting them can have negative effects on ecosystems.
The demand for rare earth elements in African countries is leading to the destruction of rainforests. More than half of the world’s cobalt and copper. The continent’s great ape populations are now more under threat from mining than scientists originally thought.a The study was published April 3 in the journal scientific progress It is estimated that approximately 180,000 gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees are at risk.
[Related: A deep sea mining zone in the remote Pacific is also a goldmine of unique species.]
“Africa is seeing an increase in mining to meet demand from developed countries and in connection with the ‘Green Revolution’. This requires [a] It contains large amounts of minerals that are important for manufacturing things like electric cars and wind turbines. ” genevieve campbellsaid the primatologist and study co-author of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the conservation nonprofit re:wild. pop science. “Unfortunately, the locations of these minerals often overlap with great ape habitat, but people are unaware of the impact their consumption patterns have on great apes. This study quantifies this impact. , which aimed to bring awareness to this issue.”
looking at west africa
inside studyan international team of scientists used data from operational and pre-operational mine sites in 17 African countries and defined: 9.2 mile wide buffer zone To take into account the direct impacts of mining, such as habitat destruction and light and noise pollution. It also prepares for more indirect impacts related to increased human activity near mining sites, such as new roads and infrastructure to access previously remote areas, and increased human presence. A 31-mile buffer zone was also defined in preparation for themore human activity generally puts more pressure on the animal Its environment is deteriorating due to increased hunting, habitat loss, and increased risk of disease transmission.
“Mining often exacerbates existing threats, for example by building roads into remote areas and making them easier for hunters to access,” Campbell says.
By integrating data on great ape population densities, the research team determined how many great apes in Africa could be negatively impacted by mining activities, and identified areas where high ape densities overlap with intense mining. was able to be shown on a map.
They found that more than a third of the great ape population, 180,000 individuals, is at risk. West African countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali and Guinea had the highest monkey densities and the most overlapping mining areas. The most significant overlap between mine density and chimpanzee density was found in Guinea. Over 23,000 chimpanzees (80 percent of the country’s great ape population) can be directly or indirectly affected by mining activities. The most sensitive areas are also generally unprotected.
“I expect there to be significant spatial overlap between mining projects and great ape habitat, and I suspect that previous estimates may have underestimated the potential impacts of mining-related activities on great apes. ” said study co-author, IUCN and re:wild conservation biologist. Jesse Junker To tell pop science. “Therefore, the results of this study were not all that surprising, as evaluations at this spatial scale have not been done before.”
“Critical Habitat” Zone
The study also investigated how mining areas intersect with potential mining areas. Considered “critical habitat.”These areas are home to unique biodiversity and flora that are essential for the survival of the species.they found 20 percent overlap between the proposed mining area and the critical habitat zone. Designating regions in this way allows for stricter environmental regulations to be enforced. These regulations apply specifically to mining projects that seek financing from groups such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other lenders that adhere to similar standards.
According to the teamprevious efforts to map critical habitats in African countries have largely overlooked great ape habitats that are subject to international benchmarking.
“Companies operating in these sectors will need to have appropriate mitigation and compensation systems in place to minimize their impact, but most companies do not have the robust infrastructure necessary to inform these actions. That seems unlikely given the lack of baseline data for the species.” Tenekwetche SopHe is a co-author of the study and manager of the great ape population database at the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History in Germany. stated in a statement. “Encouraging these companies to share their valuable ape research data with our database is a vital step towards achieving transparency in their operations. Only through collaborations like this can mining We can comprehensively measure the true extent of the impacts that activities have on great apes and their habitat.”
what can you do
In future studies, the researchers hope to quantify the direct and indirect effects of mining activities in different African countries and different ape species. Currently, these risks are less considered and are being mitigated by mining companies.of study author It also calls on mining companies to collect more data to avoid impacts to great apes and better understand where great apes live in relation to where mining activities may take place. .
[Related: How can we decarbonize copper and nickel mining?]
The public also has a responsibility to ensure that the transition away from fossil fuels does not come at the expense of biodiversity.
“We can all do something to protect great apes and their habitat. It’s important that everyone adopts the mindset of consuming less,” says Juncker. “Furthermore, policymakers need to enact more effective recycling policies to promote sustainable reuse of metals.”
