As you know, in Africa you can find a lot of natural resources. African states occupy high places in the ranking of world exports of raw materials for non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy. It is no secret that South Africa is the richest in minerals in Africa.
Minerals of South Africa
All the most important deposits of ore minerals are concentrated in the regions of Equatorial and South Africa. Nigeria is rich in tungsten, large natural mineral aggregates (chromites) can be found in Southern Rhodesia, and large reserves of manganese are found in Ghana.
The main gold reserves are located in the Republic of South Africa. Natural mineral formations with gold content were formed in this region in the Cambrian period.
A large-scale graphite deposit was discovered on the island of Madagascar, but this is not as beneficial for the economy as the gold mining of states.
For the extraction of minerals such as cobalt, copper, lead, tin and tungsten, South Africa ranks 1st in the world. In addition, rare uranium ores are located in this territory, in which the content of pure uranium is 0.3%.
Minerals of West Africa
West Africa is the main producer of oil and coal. Today, states are actively developing new methods for oil production in this region.
The main large deposits are located in the Niger Delta. In West Africa, you can also find such minerals as: non-ferrous metal ores, iron ores, tantalum, niobium and tin ores.
Large pools of natural gas are located in the coastal regions of West Africa.
The extraction of such minerals in the West African region has a positive effect on the development of industry in the country. Thus, the chemical industry, non-ferrous metallurgy and mechanical engineering are actively developing.
Minerals of North Africa
In the north of the continent there are the main oil producers - Morocco and Northern Sahara.
Also in North Africa are large sources of manganese. There are deposits of such minerals as lead, molybdenum, zinc, cobalt. These fossils were formed back in the Mesozoic era.
In the region of the Atlas mountain range, not far from Libya, there is a unique strip of phosphorite occurrence. They are quite useful and valuable for the chemical industry and metallurgy. Morocco ranks first in the extraction of phosphorites among all countries in the world.
The main types of minerals in Africa
Platinum and gold are the most valuable metals mined in South Africa. Also, the country is mining such precious stones as diamonds. They are often used in jewelry or industry due to the strength of the stones.
In Africa, there are such minerals as oil and coal, the deposits of which are located in Algeria, South Africa, Nigeria, Libya. Ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals - copper, aluminum, manganese, titanium-magnesium, antimony, tin - are mined in Zambia and South Africa, in the Republic of the Congo and Cameroon.
Minerals of Africa - video
African resources. Minerals
Africa is a continent of great economic opportunities, which is characterized by a variety of natural conditions, a wealth of mineral resources, the presence of significant land, water, plant and other resources. Africa is characterized by a slight dissection of the relief, which promotes economic activity - the development of agriculture, industry, and transport. The location of most of the continent in the equatorial belt largely determined the presence of huge tracts of humid equatorial forests. Africa accounts for 10% of the world's forest area, which accounts for 17% of the world's wood reserves - one of the main African exports. The largest desert in the world - the Sahara - contains huge reserves of fresh water in its bowels, and large river systems are characterized by gigantic volumes of flow and energy resources. Africa is rich in minerals, which are resources for the development of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, and the chemical industry. Thanks to new discoveries, a part of Africa is increasing in the explored world reserves of energy raw materials. The reserves of phosphorites, chromites, titanium, tantalum are larger than in any part of the world. The reserves of bauxite, copper, manganese, cobalt, uranium ores, diamonds, metals, gold, etc. are of world importance. through Zambia to East Africa (deposits of copper, uranium, cobalt, platinum, gold, manganese); Guinean part of West Africa (deposits of bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, oil); the zone of the Atlas Mountains and the coast of Northwest Africa (cobalt, molybdenum, lead, zinc, iron ore, mercury, phosphorites); Northern Africa (oil, gas of the Mediterranean coast and shelf).
plant soil africa mineral
The regions of Africa are very different in natural features: the availability of wet, soil types, and vegetation cover. There is one element in common - a large amount of warm. Significant areas of deserts and equatorial forests are unfavorable for agriculture. In deserts, agriculture is possible only if there are water sources around which oases are formed. In the equatorial forests, the farmer fights against lush vegetation, and when it is reduced, against erosion and excessive solar radiation, which negatively affects the condition of the soil. The best conditions for farming are in the highlands and shrouds with favorable wet seasons. Most soils of the mainland have low natural fertility. 3/4 of the territory of the continent is covered with red and red-brown soils, a thin layer of which is poor in organic matter, is quite easily depleted and destroyed. Relatively fertile are the red soils and zhovtozems of the subtropics, alluvial soils in other zones.
Africa is rich in its natural resources. African states are the world's main exporters of raw materials for ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. South Africa is considered the richest country in minerals.
Minerals of South Africa
In the regions of Equatorial and South Africa, the world's richest deposits of ore minerals are concentrated. Large chromite deposits are located in Southern Rhodesia, Nigeria is rich in tungsten, and Ghana has reserves of manganese.
The largest graphite deposits in the world are located on the island of Madagascar. However, gold mining is of the greatest importance for the economy of South African states.
The main gold reserves are located in the Republic of South Africa. Gold ores here were formed in the Cambrian period.
In the extraction of minerals such as copper, lead, cobalt, tungsten and tin, South Africa ranks first in the world. Also on the territory of this region are the most unique uranium ores, the content of pure uranium in which reaches 0.3%.
Minerals of North Africa
On the territory of North Africa there are deposits of such minerals as zinc, lead, cobalt, molybdenum. These fossils were formed in North Africa at the beginning of the Mesozoic era, during the period of active development of the African platform.
Also, this region of the African continent is rich in manganese. Oil-bearing sources are located in the Northern Sahara and Morocco.
Phosphorite-bearing zones are located between the Atlas Mountains and Libya. Phosphorites are used in the metallurgical and chemical industries, as well as in the production of agricultural fertilizers. More than half of the world's phosphorites are mined in the North African phosphorite zone.
Morocco occupies the first place among the countries of the world in the extraction of phosphorites.
Minerals of West Africa
The main wealth of the bowels of West Africa is coal and oil. Today, there is an active development of new methods of oil production in this region.
The main large deposits are located in the Niger Delta. West Africa is also rich in such minerals as niobium, tantalum and tin, iron ore, and non-ferrous metal ores.
On the territory of the coastal regions of West Africa there are large basins of natural gas. The southern territories are rich in gold ores.
Active mining in West Africa favorably affects the development of industry in this part of the African continent. So over the past decade, non-ferrous metallurgy, the chemical industry and mechanical engineering have reached a high level of development.
The video lesson is devoted to the topic "Natural resource potential and general characteristics of the economy of Africa." From the lesson, you will learn what resources the continent is rich in and what is the peculiarity of their use. The teacher will tell you in detail about the specifics of the economy of African countries. As additional material in the lesson, three topics are considered: “Monoculture”, “South Africa” and “Trans-African Highways”.
Theme: Africa
Lesson: Natural resource potential and general characteristics of the African economy
Africa is exceptionally rich in minerals, although they are still poorly understood. Among other continents, it ranks first in the reserves of the following natural resources:
1. Manganese ore.
2. Khromitov.
3. Bauxites.
4. Gold.
5. Platinum.
6. Cobalt.
7. Diamonds.
8. Phosphorites.
The resources of oil, natural gas, graphite, and asbestos are also great. Africa's share in the world mining industry is 1/4. Almost all extracted raw materials and fuel are exported from Africa to economically developed countries.
Rice. 1. Diamond mining in Africa ()
In the central part of Africa there are large reserves of forest and water resources.
In addition, African land resources are also significant. There is more cultivated land per inhabitant than in Southeast Asia or Latin America. In total, 20% of the land suitable for agriculture is cultivated. However, extensive farming and rapid population growth have led to catastrophic soil erosion, which reduces crop yields. This, in turn, exacerbates the problem of hunger, which is very relevant for Africa.
Rice. 3. Desertification map of Africa ()
The agro-climatic resources of Africa are determined by the fact that it is the hottest continent, lies entirely within the average annual isotherms of +20 °C. But at the same time, precipitation is the main factor determining differences in climatic conditions. 30% of the territory - arid areas occupied by deserts, 30% - receive 200-600 mm of precipitation, but are subject to droughts; the equatorial regions suffer from an excess of moisture. Therefore, in 2/3 of the territory of Africa, sustainable agriculture is possible only through land reclamation work.
After gaining independence, African countries began to make efforts to overcome centuries of backwardness. The restructuring of the sectoral and territorial structure of the economy began. The greatest success along this path has been achieved in the mining industry, which now accounts for 1/4 of the world's output in terms of production.
Despite some progress, most regions of Africa are still characterized by a colonial type of economy.
The main features of the colonial type of economy:
1. The predominance of small-scale agriculture.
2. Weak development of the manufacturing industry.
3. Strong backlog of transport.
4. Restriction of the non-productive sphere only to trade and services.
5. Monocultural specialization.
Africa exports bananas, coffee, tea, dates, citrus fruits and other agricultural products.
In total, seven main mining regions can be distinguished in Africa. Three of them are in North Africa and four are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Rice. 4. Map of the mining regions of Africa ()
Mining regions of Africa:
1. The region of the Atlas Mountains stands out for its reserves of iron, manganese, polymetallic ores, phosphorites (the world's largest phosphorite belt).
2. The Egyptian mining region is rich in oil, natural gas, iron, titanium ores, phosphorites, etc.
3. The region of the Algerian and Libyan parts of the Sahara is distinguished by the largest oil and gas fields.
4. The West Guinean region is characterized by a combination of gold, diamonds, iron ores, and graphites.
5. The East Guinean region is rich in oil, gas, and metal ores.
6. Zaire-Zambian region. On its territory there is a unique "Copper Belt" with deposits of high-quality copper ores, as well as cobalt, zinc, lead, cadmium, germanium, gold, silver. Congo (former Zaire) is the world's leading producer and exporter of cobalt.
7. The largest mining region in Africa is located within Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Almost all types of fuel, ore and non-metallic minerals are mined here, with the exception of the inclusion of oil, gas and bauxite.
Africa is divided into 5 regions or 2 large regions (North Africa and Tropical Africa).
Rice. 5. Map of African regions ()
Each region differs in the composition and distribution of the population, natural and climatic conditions, resources, and specialization of the economy. Tropical Africa (Sub-Saharan Africa) is the least industrialized, least urbanized region of the world and the most backward region of the world.
Rice. 6. Map of Tropical Africa ()
monocultural specialization- narrow specialization of the country's economy in the production of one, as a rule, raw material or food product, intended mainly for export.
Rice. 7. Monocultures of African countries ()
Republic of South Africa. This country ranks first in Africa in many indicators of economic development. South Africa accounts for the lion's share of Africa's GDP, manufacturing and vehicle fleet. South Africa is distinguished by the development of the mining industry, the extraction of gold, diamonds, iron ores, etc.
Trans-African Highways: Maghreb, which connects all the countries of North Africa from Morocco to Egypt (Rabat - Cairo) and runs along the Mediterranean coast; Trans-Sahara Highway Algiers (Algeria) - Lagos (Nigeria); Trans-African highway Lagos - Mombasa (Kenya), or highway West - East, etc.
Homework
Topic 8, P. 1, 2
1. What resources are Africa richest in?
2. What is monoculture?
Bibliography
Main
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Additional
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Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections
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2. Africa // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907.
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2. The most complete edition of typical options for real USE assignments: 2010. Geography / Comp. Yu.A. Solovyov. - M.: Astrel, 2010. - 221 p.
3. The optimal bank of tasks for preparing students. Unified State Exam 2012. Geography: Textbook / Comp. EM. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukov. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2012. - 256 p.
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Materials on the Internet
1. Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements ( ).
2. Federal portal Russian Education ().
3. Electronic version of the journal Geography ().
What wealth is hidden in the depths of the Black Continent? The mineral resources of Africa are very diverse. And some of them are of global importance.
Geology, relief and minerals of Africa
The distribution and diversity of mineral resources is closely related to the nature of the relief and the geological structure of the territory. This geographical pattern, of course, also applies to the hottest continent on the planet. Therefore, at first it is worth paying some attention to this issue.
The relief and minerals of Africa are directly dependent on the geological structure of the continent.
Most of the mainland is located on the ancient African platform, whose age is Precambrian. Atlas is the only young mountain system in Africa (it is also the largest). The eastern part of the mainland is cut from north to south by a powerful rift valley, at the bottom of which a number of large lakes have formed. The total length of the rift is impressively large: up to 6 thousand kilometers!
In orographic terms, the entire mainland is usually divided into two parts:
- Low Africa (northern part).
- High Africa (southeastern part).
The first is characterized by absolute heights of less than 1000 meters, and the combustible minerals of Africa are associated with this part of the continent. High Africa is also named so not by chance: its absolute heights exceed 1000 meters above sea level. And here are concentrated rich reserves of coal, non-ferrous metals, as well as diamonds.
highest mainland
This is how Africa is often called, because "high" forms prevail in its relief: plateaus, highlands, plateaus, volcanoes and peaks of the remnant type. At the same time, some regularities are observed in their distribution over the territory of the mainland. So, mountain ranges and highlands are located "along the perimeter" of the continent, and plains and flat plateaus - in its inner part.
The highest point located in Tanzania is Mount Kilimanjaro, whose height is 5895 meters. And the lowest is in Djibouti - this is Lake Assal. Its absolute mark above sea level is 157 meters.
Minerals of Africa: briefly about the main
The continent is a major and important supplier of non-ferrous metals and diamonds to the world market. Surprisingly, how is it that most African states are considered very poor? Many metallurgical plants also work on iron ore mined in African subsoil.
Africa's minerals are also oil and natural gas. And those countries, in the bowels of which there are their deposits, live quite well and prosperously (against the background of the rest of the mainland). Here it is worth highlighting Algeria and Tunisia first of all.
But the deposits of non-ferrous metal ores and precious stones are concentrated in the southern part of Africa, within the economically backward countries. And the development of such deposits, as a rule, is particularly costly, so the extraction of these resources is carried out with the involvement of foreign capital.
The main deposits on the continent
Now it is worth dwelling in more detail on in which parts of the mainland the development of certain mineral resources is taking place. The main mineral deposits in Africa are distributed very unevenly throughout the territory. The table below shows the top ten mineral resources of the mainland. It clearly shows how unevenly distributed the main minerals of Africa.
The table includes 10 mineral resources, as well as the regions of Africa in which they are being developed.
| № | Minerals | Where are the main deposits |
| 1 | Oil and natural gas | North Africa and the coast of the Gulf of Guinea (Algeria, Tunisia, Nigeria) |
| 2 | Diamonds | South Africa (Zimbabwe, South Africa) |
| 3 | Gold | Ghana, Mali, Republic of the Congo |
| 4 | Coal | South Africa |
| 5 | bauxites | Ghana, Guinea |
| 6 | Phosphorites | North coast of the continent |
| 7 | Iron ores | Northern part of the mainland |
| 8 | manganese ores | Northern part of the mainland |
| 9 | Nickel ores | Southern part of the mainland |
| 10 | copper ores | Southern part of the mainland |
Now we can clearly see how the main minerals of Africa are located. The table gives a clear idea of the features of the territorial distribution of their deposits.
Oil production in Africa
12 percent - this is how much world oil is produced on the African continent. Many European and American companies are trying to gain access to the largest oil and gas fields on the mainland. They are very willing to allocate investments for the development of new deposits and geological surveys.
According to recent studies, the bowels of Africa contain about 25% of the total oil reserves in the world. The most attractive countries in this regard are Libya, Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Egypt, and Sudan. In all these states, there has been an increase in oil production in recent years.
The most active in the African oil market are Chinese, Norwegian, Brazilian and Malaysian companies.
Finally...
As we can see, Africa is quite rich in various minerals. The mineral resources of Africa are primarily oil, diamonds, gold, non-ferrous metal ores, bauxites and phosphorites. However, very often rich deposits are concentrated in economically backward states (which are the majority on the mainland), so their development, as a rule, is carried out at the expense of foreign capital and investment. And this has its own, both bad and good sides.
