Mineral Exploration in Developing Countries: Botswana and Papua New Guinea Case Studies

There are 155 developing countries in the world, of which 78 produce minerals (other than common commodities such as sand, gravel, clay, and salt). Only 30 of these countries contribute 5 percent or more of the world's production of any mineral commodity. Developing countries account for roughly half the total land area of the world and 36 percent of its estimated reserves of forty-six nonfuel minerals (Kursten, 1983). It is generally believed that over the long term an increasing share of internationally traded mineral commodities will come from developing countries as the developed countries deplete their higher-grade mineral deposits.