Management of environmental risks arising from mining operations in Kitwe and Mufulira
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Date
2020
Authors
Nachalwe, Prisca
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Mining as an extractive industry has both positive and negative impacts. The positive
impacts include economic growth and job creation whereas the negative impacts are
environmental degradation and human health risks. On this premise this study was
carried out in order: To i) identify risks posed by mining operations to the environment
and human health in Kankoyo and Nkana West, ii) determine the extent to which the
risk management strategies used by mining operators adequately address environmental
and health risks in the study areas and, iii) examine the adequacy of institutional
arrangements that govern environmental risk management in the mining sector. Data
collection methods used in the study were a questionnaire survey, interviews, water
sampling and testing. The results show that Kankoyo and Nkana West are characterised
by pollution of air, water and land with Kankoyo being more affected. The prominent
health problem was respiratory tract infections resulting from smelting activities at the
mines with sulphur dioxide being the main air pollutant. Tests carried out on 30 water
samples collected from Uchi Stream and Mwekera Stream (the control) respectively
indicated that Uchi had above limit concentrations of cobalt, manganese and iron which
were attributed to effluent discharged from the Nkana Mines. Uchi Stream had
significantly higher (p<0.05) concentrations of copper, cobalt, manganese, iron and zinc
than Mwekera Stream. Therefore, Uchi Stream was polluted by cobalt, manganese and
iron from the Nkana Mines at the time of the research. The risk management strategies
used by the mines were found to be inadequate for addressing environmental and health
risks and the EMPs were not revised and audited as required by law. The institutional
arrangements for management of mining environmental risks were not adequate as
evidenced by the relevant authorities’ lack of vital monitoring equipment and human
resource for ensuring that mining companies were in compliance with the environmental
regulations. The study concludes that environmental risk management in the mining
sector is not effectively addressing the risks posed by mining activities in Kitwe and
Mufulira to the environment and human health. Therefore, there is need for Mopani
Copper Mines and Konkola Copper Mines to implement proactive risk management
strategies that will minimize mining and mineral processing risks from their operations.
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Mineral industries--Environmental aspects-- Zambia