A A U N I N T E R N A T I O N A L A F R I C A F O R U M
M A Y 1 1 T H 2 0 1 5
I N D A B A H O T E L , J O H A N N E S B U R G

Mining for a better community
PI Dr. Helen MacDonald, University of Cape Town
Estimation of rock size distributions using image analysis
PI Dr Anthony Amankwah, University of Ghana
Integrating HIV and gender related issues into environmental assessments for Australian mining companies operating in Africa
PI Assoc. Prof Angus Morrison-Saunders Murdoch University

Participation at the upcoming 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health (2-6
December in Cape Town) . One of the collaborators, Dr Susan Hemer, has raised an independent travel grant, so we will be able to assemble 3 Australian team members with their African partners. A number of the team have submitted abstracts.
An additional abstract has been submitted to the annual Anthropology Southern Africa conference (August 2015). The paper is co-authored by Dr Helen Macdonald and Ms
Mutsa Mutendi and is entitled: ‘We are like bubble gum’: Perceptions of TB among
South African gold miners. Independent travel funding has been obtained for one of the authors to present.
Dr Penny Johnson and Prof Martha MacIntyre have met in Australia and will begin work on a co-authored paper around the Lihir mines in Papua New Guinea for publication.
(see more on way forward)
Ms Mutsa Mutendi has registered for her Masters degree at UCT and will undertake her research looking at mining’s responses to community health care

Challenges around getting original date for team meeting – hence the opportunity of
Using the Cape Town conference as the catalyst to get everybody together which includes: University of Pretoria, University of Queensland, University of Melbourne,
University of Adelaide, Australian National University
Currently looking to negotiate a modification of the scope – to include comparison with
PNG
There have been conversation regarding the scope of the final grant. The biggest challenge has been to locate a suitable grant for which to apply.

Proposed change of scope: A comparison that looked at the social conditions and causes leading to high rates of TB diagnosis across PNG and South
Africa. In PNG the mines are open cut, whereas is SA they are not, so it is potentially not conditions within the mines that promote TB

Begun training of sampler team, investigating state-of-the-art tools to be used in the project.
Begun planning for capacity building workshop in Australia
Awaiting funding to really commence activities.
Partners include: University of Ghana, Curtin University, University of Pretoria

INTEGRATING HIV AND GENDER RELATED ISSUES INTO ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENTS FOR AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANIES OPERATING IN
AFRICA
12 month report submitted to AAUN as well as acquittal of funds:
Established a working group – met in its entirety in Perth in advance of the world AIDS congress being held in Melbourne included Paladin, Golden Rim and Resolute and
AAMIG. Murdoch University, University of Pretoria, Makerere University, K’eth Impilo
(NGO based in Cape Town)
Additional support from Murdoch University leveraged the original funding which enabled a major panel session at the congress on HIV and AIDS co-chaired by HE
Festus Mogae and Bryony Walmsley (one of the working group based in Cape Town) mining companies that contributed included Anglo-American, Newcrest, BHP.
http://pag.aids2014.org/session.aspx?s=1005
First paper delivered at AFSAAP November, 2014 in NZ

INTEGRATING HIV AND GENDER RELATED ISSUES INTO ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENTS FOR AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANIES OPERATING IN
AFRICA
Challenges continue with regard to funding for Africa-specific research in an Australian context although commitment to Africa/Indian Ocean Rim is present in a number of areas of Federal Government.

INTEGRATING HIV AND GENDER RELATED ISSUES INTO ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENTS FOR AUSTRALIAN MINING COMPANIES OPERATING IN
AFRICA
Looking at broadening the scope for funding to focus on communicable diseases and mining. Also potential for application to the Ford Foundation and various European funding agencies.
Will include presentations on health/communicable diseases at the upcoming Africa Australia Research Forum – this builds on a multi-year engagement with Chatham House on this topic at Africa Down Under (the host of the forum)
World AIDS Congress will be in Durban, July 2016

TH
ST
Making Growth Inclusive: The role of mining in the post-2015 development agenda for Africa.
The year 2015 marks a watershed for Africa as it transitions from focusing on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the African Unionsponsored “Common African Position” (CAP). One area of focus of the
CAP is “structural economic transformation and inclusive growth”.
2016 special issue of The Extractive Industries and Society (Elsevier).
Formal call for papers going out this week.
ERA-MIN – European opportunity for funding in extractives more generally – presented at Feb Meeting in Berlin and included pitch for AAUN