Summary and Conclusions

Abstract

The developing country desiring to initiate or increase the role of mining in the national economy is confronted with a range of complex issues which must be carefully handled. Foremost among them is the notion, based on geological observations, that the country has a physical endowment of minerals which can be commercially exploited. The first responsibility of the State, therefore, is to create the geological infrastructure which, in the initial stages, can simply be a regional mapping survey. To accomplish this objective, the State must make financial provision for this basic work, which can also be assisted by aid from the numerous multilateral agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme and existing bilateral aid programmes.