LAKE VICTORIA BASIN

Mining The mining industry in the LVB is a developing economic and land-use activity, making an annual contribution of about 2.3 per cent to the Basin’s GDP (Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007a). Artisanal mining is prevalent in the Burundian portion of the LVB, where the most common mined minerals are alluvial gold, cassiterite, columbo-tantalite and wolframite. These activities have, however, a negative impact on the environment because their solid loads cause river pollution and excessive silting of river floors, rendering them unsuitable for agriculture. The Kenyan part of the Basin has minerals that include Kisii soapstone, phosphate, sulfur, wollastonite and nephelinite, manganese, tin, kaolin, clay, fluorspar, iron ore, graphite and diatomaceous soil. Industrial mining of limestone is carried out at Koru in Nyando District, while the extraction of building material such as granite, brick clay, sand, tuffs, murrum and material for ballast is widespread. A range of minerals – cassiterite, coltan, wolfram and colombo tentalum – and other valuable materials such as sand, gravel and stones are extracted in various parts of the Basin in Rwanda. Mining sand and stones is largely unregulated and there are concerns about the destruction of other natural resources, particularly wetlands and fragile hillsides. Mining activities support a significant proportion of livelihoods and local economies but there are concerns that current mining activities in Rwanda are unsustainable (Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007a). The Government of Rwanda has intervened by outlawing mining in some areas, but appropriate mechanisms are needed to ensure the delicate balance between the environment and livelihoods.

there are a number of endangered bird species in the Basin, including the papyrus yellow warbler ( Chrolopeta gracillostris ) and papyrus gonolek ( Laniarius mufumbiri ) (Kimbowa 2013). In Rwanda, there are three protected areas: the Nyungwe Forest National Park in the west, Akagera National Park in the east and the Volcano National Park in the north, all of which are situated in the LVB and are critical watersheds for the Basin (Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007a). These ecosystems have unique physical and geographical characteristics that support a variety of different life forms spread over different altitudinal ranges. In addition to the economic returns from tourism, these parks provide habitats to some of the rarest species in the world, making them internationally important biodiversity sites. The parks in Rwanda are a major tourist attraction, contributing substantially to the economy through tourism revenue. With its huge potential, the Basin could be fully developed as a major tourist destination. The development of an extensive transport network across the Lake, in particular, would help to boost tourism. The Ssese Islands in Uganda and the Ukerewe Islands in Tanzania have beautiful sandy beaches with huge tourism potential but remain undeveloped, with few visitors. Tourist attractions include water sports, bird watching, angling and other natural attractions. In addition to contributions from governments, the private sector has also taken steps to develop facilities to support the tourism industry in the Basin. This includes hotel accommodation, the provision of travel and tour operations, professional tour guiding and tourism promotion.

Diamond mining in Tanzania

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