OVERVIEW OF THE IMPACT OF MINING ON THE ... - IIED pubs

3.7.6 Implications for water quality and quantity management
None.
3.8 The Luena and Zambezi Headwaters sub-catchments
3.8.1 General description
3.8.1.1 Hydrology
The Luena River drains the eastern portion of the Bié Highlands in central Angola and joins the Zambezi River
in its headwater zone. Flows are seasonal though there is no information as to the size of the flows.
3.8.1.2 Geology
These two sub-catchments are underlain predominantly by sandstones and conglomerates of the middle
Zambezi basin; these are covered by deep Kalahari Sands. Archaean rocks of the Central African Craton
underlie the headwaters of the sub-catchments.
3.8.1.3 Pedology, agriculture and land use
The soils consist almost entirely of deep, well-leached ferralitic soils, with subsistence agriculture on the richer
soils located on floodplain levees along the riverbanks.
3.8.1.4 Surface water users
The only settlements are small villages scattered throughout the sub-catchment. Prospecting teams in the subcatchments
uses small volumes of water. Small administrative centres are located near the town of Luena in
Angola. Prospecting teams active in the area will also use water.
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