ZAMBIA: Pollution from local mines impacts social and environmental life in Zambia

Record ID: 216815

  • Title: ZAMBIA: Pollution from local mines impacts social and environmental life in Zambia
  • Date: 13th April 2007
  • Summary: (AD1) MUFULIRA, COPPERBELT, ZAMBIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) CLOUDS OF SMOKE IN SKY, SMOKE RISING FROM REFINERY MORE OF SMOKE RISING SIGN READING: "MOPANI COPPER MINES PLC MUFULIRA MINE SITE' MINERS WALKING ALONG UNDERGROUND MINE SHAFT (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOSEPH MUKUMBA, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER, ZCCM INVESTMENT HOLDINGS PLC, SAYING: "As long as we continue mining, we should expe
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zambia
  • Country: Zambia
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVAESPD5CTE20Q0HSFAE36GFYH5I
  • Story Text: Zambia's active copper mineral-extraction and refining centre is causing the build-up of toxins in the soil, posing a threat to food crops. People living in Zambia's Copperbelt region claim the extraction and refining centres are polluting their water and soil.
    "As long as we continue mining, we should expect some element of pollution, but what's important is to put measures in place so that we contain this pollution or we minimise the level of pollution," Joseph Mukumba said, the Environmental Manager at ZCCM Investment Holdings PLC, a mining company in the area.
    Recently more than 50 Zambian farmers demanded compensation from another mining company, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), for allegedly destroying their crops.
    "One month two weeks ago, we started noticing this smoke from the mines, which is sulphur dioxide. When it started, it was so strong that I just started noticing that the tomatoes were drying up," said Given Zulu, a farmer in Mufurila.
    "We have suffered a lot with this sulphur dioxide from the mines. When it comes out, some have tears coming out from their eyes, others you find that the ears, the inside the ears, its itching," added Zulu.
    But the main effect from mining is the contamination of water bodies by soluble substances and toxic liquid effluent that are produced during mineral processing.
    In November last year KCM had to shut down operations at its Tailings Leach Plant in Northwestern province because farmers in the area complained. A burst KCM pipeline had spilled effluents into the Mushishima stream and Kafue River.
    Several people fell sick after eating dead fish from the polluted water.
    KCM is jointly owned by the Zambian government and an Indian mining firm - Vedanta Resources, which has a majority stake and manages the mines.
    Zambia's economy is hinged on its copper production, the government will now have to strike a delicate balance between the country's economic needs and the effect of those economic activities on the environment.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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