C1 Book
Mining and Financial Imperialism : The Central African Copper Bonanza, c. 1890–1970 (2025)


Särkkä, T. (2025). Mining and Financial Imperialism : The Central African Copper Bonanza, c. 1890–1970. Routledge. Routledge Explorations in Economic History. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003247371


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editorsSärkkä, Timo

ISBN978-1-032-16176-1

eISBN978-1-003-24737-1

Journal or seriesRoutledge Explorations in Economic History

eISSN2155-3114

Publication year2025

Publication date12/12/2024

Number of pages in the book218

PublisherRoutledge

Place of PublicationAbingdon

Publication countryUnited Kingdom

Publication languageEnglish

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4324/9781003247371

Publication open accessOpenly available

Publication channel open accessOpen Access channel


Abstract

Mining finance houses were substantial public corporations with access to the money market in the City of London, the world’s leading capital market for mining. These institutions became dominant at the inception of colonial rule and, in varying forms, remained so throughout the twentieth century. Drawing on a rich corpus of primary sources, this book analyses the Western colonial origins of the mining industry and its post-colonial legacies in the Central African Copperbelt. It provides insights into the operations of the global business of mining: in particular, how these processes took place, why they were considered desirable by various interest groups, and the impact that these processes continue to have on physical and human environments in parts of the world where they took place. It also turns its gaze to the City of London, looking at who the financiers were and the nature of the power which they wielded. A long-term perspective on mining finance reveals that thus far the colonial governments have been the main focus in the history of imperialism in Central Africa, with little focus in many instances on the mining finance houses which have outlived them.

The book is a significant contribution to the economic, financial and business history of mining and extractive industries, Central Africa, the City of London, and early forms of financial capitalism.


Keywordsmining industrymining activitycopperimperialismcolonialismmoney marketeconomic history

Free keywordsbusiness history; African history; modern history 1750-1945; imperial & colonial history; economic history; business, management and marketing; economics, finance; business & industry


Contributing organizations


Ministry reportingYes

VIRTA submission year2025

Preliminary JUFO rating3


Last updated on 2025-25-01 at 20:07