Vanadium ore resources of the African continent: State of the Art

As part of the critical metals group, vanadium is an essential commodity for the low- and zero-CO2 energy generation, storage and transport. This contribution aims to carry out a review of the known vanadium ore sources and mineralizations located in Africa, which are highly diversified in their geological and mineralogical characteristics, and can be classified in: 1. Vanadiferous (titano)magnetite deposits; 2. Sandstone-hosted (U)-vanadium deposits; 3. Calcrete-hosted (U)-vanadium deposits; 4. Vanadate deposits; 5. Graphite-associated vanadium deposits; 6. Vanadium occurrences associated with laterite, bauxite, and phosphate ores. The economically most significant vanadium sources in Africa are associated with titanomagnetite layers in mafic–ultramafic layered magmatic intrusions (e.g., the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe). Vanadium has been historically mined also in vanadate deposits deriving from the supergene alteration of Pb-Zn-Cu sulfide ores in Namibia and Zambia. Several areas in these countries, where potentially re-processable old tailings and slags have been accumulated, still have economic potential. Vanadium mineralizations are associated with graphite bodies in the Mozambique Metamorphic Belt. Vanadium is also enriched in uranium ores occurring in the Upper Paleozoic-Mesozoic Karoo continental sediments: typical examples are found in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Significant uranium-vanadium concentrations (where carnotite prevails) occur in relatively recent (Tertiary-Quaternary) calcrete duricrusts in paleo-fluviatile beds, which are widespread throughout the African continent. These derive from the weathering of U-(V)-fertile source rocks, which under favorable paleoclimatic conditions resulted in the vanadium precipitation in the critical zone. Variable vanadium amounts have been also recorded in iron ore deposits, phosphorites, and laterites, even though the phosphate deposits seem to have the most favorable characteristics for potentially economic vanadium concentrations. On the whole, South Africa holds the most significant vanadium ore resources globally. However, also many other African countries, where this metal could be profitably extracted as a by-product from other economic ores, will probably be at the forefront of vanadium production in the near future

Entangling Molecules: an ethnography of a carbon offset project in Madagascar’s eastern rainforest

In this dissertation I explore the multiple social lives of ‘carbon’ as key object of contemporary forms of global environmental governance. Through an ethnography of a forest carbon project, I detail the many forms that ‘carbon’ takes as it is deployed in a small locality in the forests of Madagascar. TAMS was a forest carbon project that ran for two decades in eastern Madagascar. Its aim was to reforest degraded fallows from slash-and-burn agriculture, or tavy, and to provide farmers with alternative livelihoods through the benefits obtained from the sale of carbon credits. Carried out by major conservation organisations, international institutions and the Malagasy government, TAMS was once hailed as a pilot carbon project for the whole of Africa. Six years after reforestation began, however, it came to a halt due to a series of complications and it was abandoned. My ethnography focuses on a series of glimpses into ‘carbon’ in its many guises as part of TAMS. This leads me to an analysis of the ways in which carbon credits are produced by, and at the same time re-articulate, ideas of value and waste in relation to forests and tavy; the peculiar materiality of ‘carbon’ as natural resource and form of labour; the experiences of ‘carbon’ as an instance of state oppression for farmers; and the complexity that arises from project actors’ efforts to turn grounded trees into mobile carbon credits. All along, we see how, far from the bounded CO2 molecule, the ‘carbon’ of forest carbon projects is not a fixed or stable object, but rather appears and disappears in multiple ways through diverse material and discursive practices. My aim is to show how specific forms of ‘carbon’—in their articulation of people’s relationships to each other and to their environments—open or foreclose particular socio-natural futures

Geochemical Analysis and Heat-Treatment of Natural Sapphires from Madagascar and Tanzania in Oxidizing and Reducing Conditions

Natural or synthetic sapphires can be heat-treated to improve the clarity by removing “silk” (inclusions) and to change color by introducing color-inducing elements (i.e., chromophores) into the lattice structure or changing their valency. Due to these reasons, sapphires can be heat-treated to increase their monetary value. Twenty natural blue (C1), 20 green (C2), and 20 clear (C3) sapphires from Madagascar and Tanzania were heat-treated in a muffle furnace in oxidizing and reducing conditions, from 1200 to 1600℃, for 10-hour soak time. In total, 5 experiments were conducted in which soak time remained constant: experiment 1 was performed at 1200℃, exp. 2 at 1300℃, exp. 3 at 1400℃, exp. 4 at 1500℃, and exp. 5 at 1600℃. Each experiment contained 4 sapphires from C1, C2, and C3 respectively, and half of the sapphires were exposed to oxidizing conditions, while the other half to reducing conditions. To achieve reducing conditions, graphite slabs were used to create the CCO buffer; the oxidizing conditions were achieved simply with air. The clear (C3) sapphires remained clear under both conditions from 1200 to 1500℃ exclusively and up to 1600℃ in oxidizing conditions. The blue (C1) sapphires either underwent no change of color or became lighter with increasing temperature and some received a yellowing effect resulting in green in oxidizing conditions. In reducing conditions, the blue (C1) sapphires became darker in color, especially from 1400℃ and up. Green/blue (C2) sapphires became lighter and increased the green intensity from 1200 to 1400℃ exclusively and up to 1600℃ in oxidizing conditions. Starting at 1400℃ heat-treatment of the stones in reducing conditions turned almost all of the samples grey/black. Electron microprobe analyses were used to determine concentrations of chromophores at minor and trace element concentrations, including: Ca, Ti, Zn, Mg, Si, Ga, Fe, Mn, and Cr to evaluate the geochemical effects of heat-treating sapphires. C1 sapphires contained the highest amount of Ti and Fe (Ti \u3e 100ppm, Fe 8000-10000 ppm), C2 sapphires contained much less Ti but the same amount of Fe (Ti 40-50ppm) and C3 samples contained the same amount of Ti as C2 but the least amount of Fe (Fe 400-700 ppm)

Overseas Investment Attraction for the Companies in Madagascar, Due To Low Wage to Employee and Abundant Natural Resources

This paper presents the information about the natural resources in Madagascar, their location and about the regulatory framework. The Madagascar is a country which is rich in minerals resources. So in this paper proposal has been proposed to some investors to invest in Madagascar. As Madagascar is a developing country, international investors can gain more profits as to invest in the country due to low wage to employees.  Regulatory framework about the investment in the Madagascar has been discussed.  We can say nature has blessed abundant natural resources to Madagascar so that development in this sector can turn Madagascar’s economic instability to developed financial and economic stability. But due to lack of better policies or may be the present policies implementation problem, lack of funds, lack of human resource, lack of machinery, lack of expert in this sector is not getting the pace as desired. Being a developed or having a strong GDP rate some countries like China, Canada, Australia, USA and some other countries can do a lot for the development of this sector in Madagascar, so that the interested companies can come to Madagascar for the consideration of mineral re-sources, which can result into the economic development of both countries and as a repercussion Madagascar can cope up lots of problem which it is facing, e.g. economic in-stability, indebted of IMF and World Bank, unemployment, poverty, lack of technical education etc. On the other side foreign investors and companies can improve their setup on large scale, their development and man power. As a moral of story through the progress in mineral resources can make Madagascar advanced and established country. Keyword: Minerals, Madagascar, Tourism, Regulatory framework, Investment

Geoconservation and geodiversity for sustainable development in Madagascar

Madagascar is well known for its unique and rare natural beauty, and it is one of the biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Many efforts have been made for the protection of biodiversity, yet initiatives towards the conservation of geodiversity are often neglected. eoconservation refers to the conservation of geological diversity or geodiversity, and it is often applied to a specific location, known as a geosite, where important earth features (geological, paleontological, geomorphological, hydrological and pedological) are protected, preserved and managed. Madagascar is very rich in natural resources and has many spectacular geological features, such as the beautiful gorges and canyons of Isalo, Tsingy de Bemaraha, Ankarana caves, hot springs and volcanic lakes of Itasy, all of which should be conserved and protected by local authorities, the private sector and local communities. Such initiatives can not only help to maintain and protect geological sites of particular importance, but also contribute to sustainable economic development. This essay aims to introduce geoconservation and sustainability in Madagascar, and to increase public knowledge and awareness of geodiversity and its conservation. The creation of geological tourism sites or geoparks is undoubtedly one of the most important steps to promote the conservation of geosites, and the promotion of earth science education should help expand and consolidate their protection

The electric vehicle revolution: critical material supply chains, trade and development

The emergence of a mass market for electric vehicles (EVs) offers development opportunities for countries that have abundant resources of cobalt, nickel, lithium, copper, aluminium and manganese. Not surprisingly, developing countries have proposed ambitious plans to expand production of these raw materials. However, an observation from the resource curse literature is that strong institutions are required if they are to mitigate the risk of poorly directed, often excessively procyclical, investment, not least because of the complexity, opacity and price volatility of many raw materials utilised by global EV value chains. This paper examines the outlook for EV demand and associated raw material usage paying attention to the drivers and sensitivities required to assess and track future market transformations. These end use shifts are then placed in the context of the broader supply chain adjustments and trends shaping the demand. For resource exporters, adapting to structural change will require fiscal, regulatory, environmental and institution reforms designed to capture shifting patterns of resource wealth in a way which takes appropriate account of comparative advantages in specific value chains and mitigates adverse environmental and social consequences from their extraction and processing

Beneficiation and Utilisation of Low Grade Refractory Materials

The present production of refractories in India is of the order of 0.75 million tons. These comprise fireclay, alumino silixates, high alumina and basic refractories and refractory cements, mortars, mortars, plastics and castables. Besides these, large tonnages of dead burnt dolomite are produced in many steel plants for fettling and repair of open-hearth and electric arc furnaces or lining L-D vessels. Of the total production of refrac-tories, steel plants consume almost 80%.By and large the refractory manufactures were coping up with the requi-rements of user industries except for the demand of some speciality refractories. However with the changing techn-ology, particularly in steel making, and greater emphasis on purity of refractories the refractory manufacturers find it exceedingly difficult to meet the stringent specifications laid down by the users

Contested Spatial Coincidence of Conservation and Mining Efforts in Madagascar

Mining appears to represent an important threat to conservation efforts in Madagascar. Expanding mining activities on the island have the potential to provide revenue for development and conservation efforts, but also pose a potential threat to conservation efforts on the island due to the spatial distribution and extent of mining concessions and the environmental impacts that mines often cause. By measuring the extent of overlap of permitted mining concessions with protected areas, potential protected areas, and mining - exclusion zones on the island, we assessed potential effects of mining on terrestrial conservation and evaluated the success of the governing institutions in limiting that impact. Permitted mining areas in 2006 overlapped with protected areas, potential protected areas, and mining - exclusion zones on the island. Mining concession areas overlapped with 33 % of surface area planned for protection in 2005, 21 % of surface area planned for protection in 2006, and 12 % of the surface area from which mining was to be legally excluded. Total permitted area and area of overlap with conservation areas increased between 2005 and 2006 despite efforts in 2004 to limit such overlap. Changes in the mining permitting and regulation could improve prospects for limiting the impact of mining on biodiversity conservation on the island

Improving livelihoods, training para-ecologists, enthralling children: Earning trust for effective community- based biodiversity conservation in Andasibe, eastern Madagascar

The rainforests of eastern Madagascar are shrinking due to population growth, poverty-driven land degradation and widespread ignorance of ecological dynamics. This has resulted in large-scale transformation and fragmentation of these forests, threatening their unique biodiversity. Many of these problems are also manifest in and around the village of Andasibe. Based on the example of Association Mitsinjo, and drawing from more than a decade of experience of community-based natural resource management in Andasibe, we highlight the challenges and successes of a community-run conservation organization that builds trust through a holistic approach resting on five building blocks: (i) management transfer of natural resources to the local community, (ii) community-based nature tourism, (iii) training of para-scientists, (iv) rainforest restoration and improving local livelihoods, and (v) environmental education. This has resulted in the creation and legal protection of two community-run reserves, Analamazaotra and Torotorofotsy, accompanied by ecological monitoring programs. We illustrate how handing over responsibilities to local communities can be a promising approach to conserving natural resources and biodiversity in Madagascar and elsewhere. La superficie des forêts tropicales de l’est de Madagascar diminue avec la croissance démographique, la dégradation des terres par effet de la pauvreté, ainsi que par l'ignorance générale des interrelations écologiques. Tout cela a abouti à une transformation profonde et étendue ainsi qu’à la fragmentation de ces forêts qui menacent leur biodiversité. Ces problèmes globaux sont pour la plupart rencontrés à la périphérie du village d'Andasibe. Ici, l’exemple de l'Association Mitsinjo est présenté avec plus d’une décennie d’expérience en gestion communautaire des ressources naturelles à Andasibe. Sont ainsi exposés les défis et les succès d'une organisation de conservation gérée par la communauté qui gagne la confiance à travers une approche posée sur cinq piliers]: (i) le transfert de gestion des ressources naturelles à la communauté locale, (ii) l’écotourisme à base communautaire, (iii) la formation de para-scientifiques, (iv) la restauration de la forêt tropicale humide en augmentant les moyens de subsistance des gens vivant sur la périphérie, et (v) l’éducation environnementale. Les actions entreprises ont abouti à la création et la protection efficace de deux réserves gérées par la communauté, accompagnées de programmes de surveillance écologique. Grâce à la responsabilisation des collectivités locales dans la protection de la biodiversité, elles montrent une fierté des actions entreprises qui est un indice prometteur pour la conservation des ressources naturelles et de la biodiversité à Madagascar et ailleurs