In 2016, under the background of global mining development retrogression, African mining industry achieved a high growth rate of 62%, with the participation of Chinese enterprises. According to Fraser's "2016 African mining attractiveness ranking" report, Morocco, Mozambique and Ghana are among the top countries.

According to Nigeria's business daily recently, the global mining and metal trade volume in 2016 decreased by 9% compared with 2015 to US $44.3 billion, a new low since 2004, but the growth rate in Africa was 62%. Among them, two of the top ten cross-border transaction contracts in Africa are related to China. Ernst & young, an accounting firm that provides the data, said Africa's mining and metals industry is still promising in 2017.
According to the "2016 African mining attractiveness ranking" report previously released by Fraser, a mining research institution, Africa's mining environment has slightly improved compared with 2015, among which the overall increase in attracting foreign investment is larger. Although the overall performance of African mining industry has not recovered to the peak in 2011, Africa has successfully surpassed Oceania, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean in attracting foreign investment.

Fraser ranks the attractiveness of mining industry in the world every year. The main factors for evaluation include: the system and policy implemented by the government, legal system, tax system, infrastructure, political stability and labor laws and regulations.

In terms of comprehensive attraction, that is, mining development potential, Morocco has become the top African country, ranking 24th in the world. The African countries that followed included Burkinabe (29) and Ghana (31). Guinea and Kenya are in the bottom of the list of African countries. This is mainly due to the introduction of a new mining law in Kenya, which stipulates that 10% of the self owned funds of mining enterprises should be paid to the state. Guinea, on the other hand, has increased the franchise fees for gold mines, while the international gold price has been falling.

Despite the decline in the ranking last year, Botswana is still the best performing country in the mining legal system. The reason for the slight decline is the trade barrier. Nevertheless, Botswana still ranks fourteenth in the world in terms of mining law system, followed by twenty-fourth place in Morocco.

In addition, of the 109 participating countries, Zimbabwe (106th) and Niger (103rd) are the only two top ten African countries in terms of mining policy. Zimbabwe's problems are mainly corruption and the seizure of private assets. In addition, state-owned mining companies have a 50% stake in the development of local mineral resources. Niger, however, is mainly due to the existence of double standards and disunity in the implementation of policies and regulations.

According to the analysis of China Africa Trade Research Center, the global mining development in 2016 hit a new low since 2004, but the mining development in the African continent increased by 62%. Chinese enterprises also actively participate in mining investment in Africa. At the same time, the report of "2016 African mining attraction ranking" shows that the mining environment in Africa has slightly improved compared with 2015, in which the overall increase in attracting foreign investment is relatively large, and the top ranking countries such as Morocco, Burkinabe and Ghana have also become the preferred countries to invest in African mining in 2017.