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

along the major roads between Chirundu and Lusaka. Large-scale irrigated sugar cane farming is located at the
junction of the Kafue and Zambezi rivers.
3.15.1.4 Surface water users
There is some consumption of water for small-scale agriculture in the communal lands along the escarpment,
whilst most of the water used for domestic purposes in the larger towns and cities is obtained either from the
Kafue River or from local boreholes and dolomite aquifers. Large volumes of water are used by commercial
farmers, including large-scale irrigation of sugar cane at the junction of the Kafue and Zambezi rivers.
3.15.1.5 Water management systems
The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Zambian Department of Water Affairs.
3.15.1.6 Human impacts on water resources (excluding mining)
The following could be expected to have an impact on water resources:
• Disposal of solid and liquid wastes at Lusaka, Chilanga, Kafue and Chirundu;
• Urban run off from towns and cities;
• Non-point sources of domestic effluent in the urban and rural areas;
• Contaminated (fertilizers and pesticides) return flows from irrigated agriculture and commercial farming
enterprises; and
• Litter and garbage on the main road between Chirundu and Lusaka.
3.15.2 Mining and mineral processing operations
There are several small gold mines in the area and new copper prospects seem to be commercially viable
(Table 3.14; Figure 3.4). A small zinc and lead mine is starting operations to the north of Lusaka. There are
several prospecting attempts to locate workable gold and semi-precious stones.
Table 3.14: Mining operations in the Chirundu sub-catchment.
Code
Number
Name of Mine
Commodity (ies)
Mined
cxxvii
Status
Relative
Size
Probable
Impact