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

predates the Zimbabwe Environmental Impact Assessment Policy, 1994. The Guidelines cover
rehabilitation32, effluent disposal33, re-vegetation and prevention of erosion34, river diversions35,
dumps and tailings dams36 and exploration activities37. However, the Guidelines are generally vague
and without detail. It is to be hoped that more detailed guidelines will be prepared by the Chamber
subsequent to the promulgation of proposed new environmental management legislation.
2.9.5 Concluding Remarks
Much of the legislation governing environmental and water affairs applied to mining is still in its infancy, and
much remains to be done to work out how the many different laws and regulations interconnect and how the
spheres of activity and control of the various different government agencies interact. In the meantime, there is
little clarity on exactly where a mining operations legal responsibility towards water systems begins and ends.
There is no simple answer to what legally constitutes impact as such. However, the best guide is that provided
by the standards contained in the Water (Waste and Effluent Disposal) Regulations, see Appendix 2.3 and also
Table 2.10 below.
Table 2.10: Comparison of Various Standards. Values in ppm unless specified
Parameter Maximum level
lxxviii
Zimbabwe South Africa
Aluminium * 0.15
Ammonia (NH3) 0.50 1.00
Arsenic (As) 0.05 0.01
Barium (Ba) 0.50 *
Biological Oxygen Demand 30.00 *
Boron (B) 1.00 *
Cadmium (Cd) 0.01 5.00
Chloride (Cl-) 250.00 100.00
Chlorine residual (free Chlorine) 0.10 *
Chromium (Cr (hex)) 0.05 0.50
Chromium total (Cr) 1.00 *
Cobalt (Co) * *
Chemical Oxygen Demand 50.00 *
Colour (TCU) 15.00 *
Conductivity (µS/cm) 1000.00 *
Copper (Cu) 1.00 1.00
32
Sections 2 – 4, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33
33
Sections 5 – 6, 35
34
Sections 11 - 13
35
Section 14
36
Sections 19 – 21, 29, 34
37
Sections 36 - 42