ABSTRACT
The abundant mineral ore resources in Africa constitute a major input into the industrial sector throughout the world. Mining in Africa dates back to ancient times as demonstrated by old mineral workings found in various parts of the continent such as Ngwenya Mine in Eswatini. Underground, the mineral deposits may be found to stretch across territorial boundaries that are recognised on the surface. As such, a mineral found in one country is likely to be present in a neighbouring country. The presence of a mineral in one country is a pointer to the likely possibility of that mineral being present in the neighbouring country. The systematic exploration and documentation of the geosocial locations of mineral deposits in African countries which started with the European colonial settlers is still low, with large areas still unmapped. Many African countries have not geologically mapped their territories sufficiently and therefore have no full economic evaluation of the minerals and appreciation of their mineral resources.
