Recommendations from our site
“Siddharth Kara goes, literally, deep into the holes being dug, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, by artisan miners who are pulling rocks from the ground in the most extraordinary circumstances. Kara interviews the workers and the traders who are buying it and, he alleges, putting it into the formal supply chain. There’s a shocking moment where he just throws in that none of them has ever held a mobile phone. And yet, they’re at the very end of the chain that leads to our iPhones and our electric cars. It is a shocking account, and he sets it in the context of the terrible history of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo – previously Zaire, and before that the Belgian Congo – as a place that has been exploited, from the word go, for these minerals, which could have made its people wealthy and prosperous and well looked after.” Read more...
The Best Business Books of 2023: the Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award
Andrew Hill, Journalist
“We don’t have many written accounts that are so extensive about the situation with artisanal mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s commendable that someone ventured into this territory with a journalistic lens. This book sheds light on the perils and detrimental impacts of artisanal mining. It also underscores how, for many locals, such mining is a lifeline, putting food on the table and their children in school. It presents a balanced view of the situation. The book also offers thoughtful insights into potential ways to alleviate some of the challenges. While it doesn’t claim to provide a complete solution, it suggests measures to enhance mining conditions and advocates for increased oversight to reduce hazards.” Read more...
