Mining by country

Mining in Lesotho

Mining in Lesotho: the public figures we hold so far. The World Bank puts mineral rents close to zero (2021) and ores and metals at 1.5% of merchandise exports (2024). No world production share, mine or listed company project is recorded here yet.

Mineral rents0%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 0% of countries.
Ores and metals1.5%of merchandise exports, 2024.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law-0.47above 37% of countries
  • Political stability-0.01above 43% of countries
  • Regulatory quality-0.49above 34% of countries
  • Control of corruption-0.27above 47% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Mining in Lesotho at a glance

Mining law
Mines and Minerals Act 2005. Together with the Precious Stones Order 1970 and the Mine Safety Act 1981. Source: USGS
Main mines
Letseng la Terai (diamond) Source: USGS
Signature minerals
diamonds Source: USGS

Mining employment from the ILO usually counts all of mining and quarrying, often with oil and gas; national shares of GDP and exports are as each source defines them.

History of mining in Lesotho

What the ground holds. diamonds Source: USGS

How prospectors changed the worldThe full mining timeline

Mining elsewhere in Africa

South AfricaDR CongoMozambiqueGhanaMadagascarRwandaNigeriaGuineaMoroccoTanzania

World shares: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, latest year per mineral. Mineral rents, exports and governance: World Bank WDI and WGI. Trade: CEPII BACI. Projects: listed companies' announcements.

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Cover photos from Wikimedia Commons: The Big Hole by Rudolph Botha, CC BY-SA 3.0.