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

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Determinant Fischer’s Farm Raglan’s Farm Machiya Ferry<br />

Silica (Si) 3,395 18,932 4,755<br />

Aluminium (Al) 1,687 12,674 1,594<br />

Calcium (Ca) 442 1,261 653<br />

Magnesium (Mg) 223 1,106 252<br />

Potassium (K) 270 2,481 522<br />

Sodium (Na) 189 223 159<br />

Iron (Fe) 2,076 5,936 1,444<br />

Manganese (Mn) 106 363 671<br />

Phosphorus (P) 77 234 160<br />

Titanium (Ti) 79 451 58<br />

Barium (Ba) 12 90 20<br />

Strontium (Sr) 1.92 11 5<br />

Cobalt (Co) 1.27 115 16<br />

Copper (Cu) 4.7 662 79<br />

Chrome (Cr) 1.37 4.87 0.96<br />

Nickel (Ni) 0.72 4.97 1.15<br />

Lead (Pb) 0.46 37 1.33<br />

Zinc (Zn) 14 117 29<br />

The concerted sampling programme conducted by Pettersson and Ingri (2000a, 2000b) showed very clearly that<br />

the concentrations of every determinant examined increased dramatically as a result of mining activities on the<br />

Zambian Copperbelt. In addition to the dissolved fraction, these authors also found very large concentrations of<br />

particulate material in the Kafue River, and that the concentrations of most heavy metals (Cobalt, Copper,<br />

Chrome, Lead, Zinc) were occasionally up to ten time higher (than the dissolved concentrations) as adsorbed<br />

ions onto the particulate material. These authors also found even higher concentrations of metals in sediment<br />

samples collected from the bed of the Kafue River.<br />

Overall, Pettersson and Ingri (2000a, 2000b) have concluded that the background geology and soils of the<br />

Zambian Copperbelt are able to neutralize most of the dissolved seepage and effluent discharge from the<br />

copper-cobalt mining operations, but that the process of neutralization results in most of the material entering<br />

the particulate phase that is then sedimented out of the water column. Wetland areas located downstream of<br />

the Zambian Copperbelt are able to trap large quantities of this particulate material so that very little reaches the<br />

lower Kafue River or the Zambezi River.<br />

Whilst the predominance of heavy metals as (suspended) particulate material or as components within the river<br />

sediments suggests that they are likely to have very little effect on aquatic biota and other water users, these<br />

metals will become available as soon as the sediments and particulate material are oxidized. This could pose<br />

several important water quality problems for water resource managers in the area.<br />

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