Geo-Mining Heritage, Geotourism and Resilience: A Necessary Paradigm Shift for Africa

Abstract Given the increasing prevalence of mining impacts, abandoned mines, and the effects of climate change, there is a critical need to establish a new paradigm for the conservation and sustainable utilization of geo-mining heritage. In Africa, a significant number of abandoned mines are underutilised, despite their potential for geo-mining heritage and geotourism, which are experiencing global growth. While Africa possesses a rich mining history and diverse geological heritage of global significance, the geo-mining heritage remains largely unexplored, thereby contributing to the environmental and socio-economic challenges within the region. Geotourism and UNESCO Global Geoparks have shown significant potential to contribute towards sustainability and ecological justice especially in the Global North with little focus on the Global South especially Africa where these concepts are still new in most countries. These disparities can also be attributed to the lack of skills, resources, and institutions in Africa dedicated to geoheritage research. These disparities pose significant challenges to scientific research and resilience to socio-economic issues and mining legacies. This paper provides a critical review for exploring an innovative and transdisciplinary paradigm that harmonises the nexus between geo-mining heritage, geotourism, and resilience. This paradigm establishes the bedrock to address the challenges of mining including abandoned mines in Africa and beyond.