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

4.5.5 Water quality data
None available.
4.5.6 Implications for water quality and quantity management
In Zimbabwe, the major impacts to be expected are from arseniferous gold and nickel mines and arsenic mines
in the western Gwanda and the Lower Gwanda Greenstone Belt: acid mine drainage and release of toxic
metals, such as arsenic and bismuth are possible. There are minor impacts from alluvial gold mining in the
Thuli River.
In Botswana, minor impacts are anticipated from arseniferous gold, nickel and copper mines, with minor acid
mine drainage.
4.6 The Pazhi sub-catchment
4.6.1 General description
4.6.1.1 Hydrology
This is Zone L1 of Area B (ZSG, 1984). The area consists of the catchments of several small rivers, which flow
directly into the Limpopo. The two largest are the Pazhi and the Mutshilashokwe.
4.6.1.2 Geology
Karoo basalts underlie most of the sub-catchment, whilst Limpopo Belt gneisses underlie the east (Figure 3.6;
ZGS, 1999).
4.6.1.3 Pedology, agriculture and land use
Soils in the sub-catchment can be divided into two groups:
• Very shallow to moderately shallow sandy loams, formed from gneisses; and
• Very shallow sands, derived from the basalts (DRSS, 1979).
The sub-catchment is entirely in Natural Region V, with poor soils rainfall under 600mm and in places under
450mm (ZSG, 1997). Land use is mainly Communal Lands, with subsistence agriculture: mainly livestock
production. The southeast corner is commercial farming land with livestock production.
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