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

North of Kezi, land use is commercial farming, private and resettlement land (ZSG, 1998), mainly livestock
rearing with some drought resistant crops. The south is Communal Lands, and agriculture limited mainly to
livestock, especially goats.
The main settlements are Gwanda Town and Esibomvu, Esigodini, West Nicholson and Colleen Bawn Villages.
4.7.1.4 Surface water users
The City of Bulawayo draws much of its water supply from the Esigodini area dams: Insiza, Inyankuni,
Mzingwane and Ncema. Commercial agriculture is a major water user, especially north of Gwanda, where crop
production takes place.
4.7.1.5 Water management systems
The sub-catchment falls under the Mzingwane Catchment Council of ZINWA.
4.7.1.6 Human impacts on water resources (excluding mining)
The following could be expected to have an impact on water resources:
• Landfills, Gwanda, Esibomvu, Esigodini, West Nicholson and Colleen Bawn;
• Disposal of liquid effluent, Gwanda, Esibomvu, Esigodini, West Nicholson and Colleen Bawn;
• Urban run off, Gwanda, Esibomvu, Esigodini, West Nicholson and Colleen Bawn;
• Non-point domestic effluent, rural areas;
• Minor non-point impact from non-intensive commercial or subsistence agriculture;
• Runoff from Gwanda airport; and
• Fuel loss and litter on the main Bulawayo – Beitbridge road and railway link.
4.7.2 Mining and mineral processing operations
The catchment falls under the Bulawayo and Masvingo Mining Districts (ZGS, 1995). The main mining activity is
gold mining in the eastern part of the Gwanda Greenstone Belt and the Filabusi Greenstone Belt. Historically,
asbestos and tungsten have been mined in the Bulawayo and Filabusi Greenstone Belts.
There is exploration for nickel, gold, copper, lead, tungsten, cobalt, silver, diamond, platinum, and arsenic (ZGS,
2001).
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