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

1997). In future studies, more attention needs to be directed towards a thorough and comprehensive analysis
of the available water quality data so that a whole catchment assessment can be determined with more
accuracy.
No water quality data could be obtained for portions of the Zambezi or Limpopo catchments located in Angola,
Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia or Tanzania. A few published water quality data were available for
the upper Kafue River in Zambia, relating to specific studies undertaken on the Zambian Copperbelt (Chenje,
2000; Livingstone, 1999; Mwale, 1994; Mwase, 1994; Nkandu, 1996; Norrgren et al., 2000; Petterson & Ingri,
1993, 2000a, b; SADC-MSCU, 2001; SRK, 1998; Timberlake, 1998; Unrug, 1988).
In Zimbabwe, water quality data for selected rivers and lakes is available from the Zimbabwe National water
Authority (ZINWA). However, the data available were restricted to those from sampling points within the
Zambezi catchment that were readily available from the ZINWA Head Office in Harare. No water quality data
were available for the Zimbabwe sector of the Limpopo basin.
1.6.3 Water quality data for certain individual mines
In South Africa, water quality data from individual mine properties is not openly available to the general public.
These data are collected by the mines and are submitted to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry as
part of routine pollution control monitoring operations. These data are considered to be “commercial in
confidence” and access is restricted.
A similar situation exists in Zimbabwe. However, a few data were made available to the Mineral Resources
Centre by the Mine ventilation and Environmental Control Offices, Ministry of Mines, Gweru, on condition that
the identity of the mines concerned was not revealed. Selection of these data was at the discretion of the
Assistant Chief Mining Engineer, Mine Ventilation and Environmental Control Offices, and have been used
simply to highlight some of the characteristic impacts of mining on certain water quality parameters.
No data on mine water quality could be obtained for Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and
Tanzania. However, a few data for mine water quality on the Zambian Copperbelt were provided by the SADC
Mining Sector Coordinating Unit in their report (SADC-MSCU, 2001).
1.6.4 Background spatially controlled data
All of the locality data reported for Zimbabwe has been spatially controlled, as well as the data pertaining to
geology, land use, rivers and infrastructure. Spatially controlled data are also available for South African mining
operations.
1.7 Purpose and structure of this document
This report provides an overview of the impacts that mining and mineral processing activities have had, or are
likely to have, on the water resources (in particular, water quality aspects) of the Zambezi, Limpopo and Olifants
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