1| Page

Geography field project

NAME ; MWANZA WILLIAM
EXAM NUMBER ; 16505400119
School ; ipusukilo secondary school
YEAR ; 2019
NAME OF SUPERVISOR ; Mr. Mutale
Title
Pollution in the Mufulira district of the Copperbelt province of Zambia;

Case study of Kankoyo Township adjacent to Mopani copper mines.

2| Page

tABLE OF CONTENTS page

✓ ACKNOLEDGEMENTS 3
✓ DEDICATION 4
✓ TITLE 5
✓ INTRODUCTION 6
✓ PROBLEM STATEMENT 7
✓ AIMS 8
✓ OBJECTIVES 9
✓ Description of study area 10
✓ Literature review 11
✓ Methodology 12
✓ Data presentation 13
✓ Data interpretation and analysis 16
✓ Problems and limitation 18
✓ Conclusion and evaluation 19
✓ Recommendations 20
✓ Bibliography 21
3| Page

Acknowledgements
This project could not be successful without the participation and commitment of my teacher of
geography and the entire family. Therefore, I would like to thank all those who helped me during
the research.

i would also like to acknowledge the entire community for giving me a privilege to study the
targeted area and there effort to give me the detailed information during research.
4| Page

dedication
I dedicate this project to my family who helped me by providing the required resources which were
necessary to begin the project and there support in my education career.
5| Page

TITLE
Pollution in the Mufulira district of the Copperbelt province of Zambia;

Case study of Kankoyo Township adjacent to Mopani copper mines.

6| Page

. INTRODUCTION

The mining industry in Zambia has been a source of income for both the locals and
foreigners, and Zambia been among the largest known reserves of copper in Africa it has
contributed to the economic development of most African countries . Despite these
benefits, the mining activities as brought about many negative effects on the locals
living around the mining area.
7| Page

Problem statement

Mining itself being a source income for most the kankoyo residents, it has brought
about many constraints in the area. And these constraints has raised
the concern of most of the residents and the importance to resolve the negative effects of
mining in the area.
Hence, this project will look at the negative effects of mining in this area and
how to resolve these problems faced by the residents.
8| Page

AIMS

The main purpose of this project is to;

• Identify the problems faced by kankoyo residents as a result of mining.
• Discuss the effects of these problems as a result of these mining activities.
• Identify measures on how to prevent these problems.
9| Page

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this project are to;

• Outline the effects of these problems on the health of the residents.

• Discuss how mining has negatively affected the residents of Kankoyo Township.
• Discuss how these constraints have affected the development of Kankoyo Township.
 10 | Page

Description of area
Kankoyo township is located in the west area about 2.8km from the central business district, and it
is mostly identified has a high density area with a clustered settlement pattern .and been near to
the mining industry most of the residents in kankoyo township highly depend on the mining
industry as there source of income. And another major characteristic feature of this township is
that it is mostly concentrated with small houses. The map below shows the location of the mining
industry and allocation of houses in Kankoyo Township.

K
a
c
h
B e
u m Kankoyo
t Play ground clinic 5
o a
Kankoyo n
d Fibusa
police post o r play
o ground
a
d

R Smelter
o
a .s lag damp
d

refinery
11 | Page

Literature review
Despite mining has brought development in our country ,it has also created a number of problems
in the mining area such as pollution and destroying biodiversity, and pollution itself has affected
the health of many residents in kankoyo township.
According to Ntalasha [P.82] ‘’AIR POLLUTION CAN LEAD TO MANY HEALTH PROBLEMS SUCH AS
EYE AND CHEST PROBLEMS.
FURTHERMORE ACCORDING TO NTALASHA [P.82] FURTHER DESCRIBES THAT ACID RAIN HAS
ALSO EFFECTED BIODIVERSITY
according to Boniface lisuba basics of biology [p.40] sulphur dioxide which is emitted from the
industry dissolves away waxy cuticle of the plant hence increasing the rate of transpiration, this
results in wilting hence the plant dies .as a result pollution can fade away the beauty of the
environment.
12 | Page

methodology

During the study on how the mining activities have affected the environment and the residents of
Kankoyo Township at large, firstly there was need to find out where the mining industry is
allocated. And these needed data collection from the residents of Kankoyo Township on how these
mining activities has affected them negatively.

During data collection one of the method which was used was through oral interview .most of the
kankoyo residents were questioned. And all the interviewed residents gave their complaints and
how they have been negatively affected by the mining industry.

Under data collection the researcher also used questionnaires which were found at the local council
which were recently attempted and answered by most of the kankoyo residents and they explained
on how the mining industry has negatively affected the environment.

And under the primary data collection the researcher mostly referred to books and other source of
information, and in secondary data collection this involved direct observation on the study are.
 13 | Page

Data presentation
Mining is one of the major and important industry; however it has negatively affected biodiversity.

Figure 1; below represents the diagram on how mining has negatively impacted the residents of
Kankoyo Township and the environment.

Acid rain

Chemical Air
Water
emissions pollution
pollution

Environmental
destruction

The diagram in figure 1.1; the bar graph below shows an increasing number of damaged houses in
Kankoyo Township from the year 2007 to 2010.
 14 | Page

45.00% bar graph

40.00%

35.00%

30.00%

25.00% bar graph

20.00%

15.00%

10.00%

5.00%

0.00%
2008 2010 2007 2009
15 | Page

Fig1.2; shows an increasing number of damaged houses in kankoyo township

Kankoyo Township being near to the mining industry, the area as suffered several
problems, and in order for the mining industry to earn more income there must be a lot of smelting
to carry out at the mines hence results in more sulphur dioxide which wears the roofing sheets in
Kankoyo Township.

The diagram below clearly shows how the mining activities have affected the houses in Kankoyo
Township from the year 2007 to 2010.

2007
2008
2009
2010

Fig 1.2
16 | Page

Data interpretation and analysis

Mining is one of the important industry which brings about income to the local people
and contributes to the gross domestic products of the country .hence, also other industries have
developed as a result of the existence of this mining industry .however mining has also negatively
affected the local people, such as destroying biodiversity and causing respiratory problems to the
local residents.

According to figure 2, most of the problems faced by kankoyo residents are as a

result of the emissions which come from the mines.

During copper production, there are many chemical substances which are emitted during its
processing, of which one includes sulphur dioxide which can harm the health of the people, and also
dust which comes from the mine industry is able to close the stomata of the plants of which
prevents gaseous exchange in plants this may cause death in a plant as a result.

And during the research it was found that the land could not support vegetation, and this is as a
result of acidic rain which kills the essential nutrients in the soil which are needed for vegetation.

And the mining industry as also resulted in wearing away of roofing sheets on most of the houses,
this is as a result of the emissions from the mines, the chemicals when they are emitted they react
with the roofing sheets and this results into rusting of roofs.

Under data representation ,diagrams were drawn to show most of the areas which are mostly
affected by the mining industry ,and these includes areas such as air and land .and mostly acid may
accidentally be spilled in the river this may lead to water pollution.

And also these emissions may include carbon monoxide which when breathed in may result in
breathing difficulties since when the carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin to form a stable
compound carboxyl hemoglobin which does not easily disassociate ,hence causing breathing
difficulties to a person .
17 | Page

And also apart from these effects listed above houses which are most near to the mine have cracks
due to use of explosives during mining, and seventy percent of the houses are affected and the
percentage is rapidly increasing.

According to the information shown on figure 1.1, the number of people suffering from respiratory
diseases have been rapidly increasing in recent years as a result of these emissions from the mines,
and this has resulted in death mostly in infants and old people.

And Kankoyo Township been densely populated area the respiratory diseases are rapidly spread
among the fellow residents of Kankoyo Township. .
18 | Page

Problems and limitations

During the research, the researcher faced a lot of problems and limitations listed below;

• People were not much interested in giving in information

• high cost of necessary materials

• high transport cost

• long distance to study area

19 | Page

Conclusion and evaluation

The mining industry as contributed to the economy of this country however, there are more
negative effects compared to positive ones to the township.

Kankoyo township of Mufulira area has been negatively affected in many ways, and this mine is
under the operation of Mopani copper mines, of which it may take a lot of time to correct these
effects.

Although the mining industry has been a source of income to most of kankoyo residents, it has also
affected them negatively such causing health problems to the local people which may result in
death ,hence can bring suffering in the community .

And if these problems are not taken into consideration this may lead to land degradation.
20 | Page

Recommendations

The government together with the Mopani copper mines should come up with strategies on
ways of resolving these problems by putting up policies which may be beneficial to the
local people.

And they should establish a policy which should be checking on the health of the residents
near this mine, together with finding new ways on which to get rid of the emissions
produced from the mines.
21 | Page

Bibliography

Curriculum development Centre. [2004], a high school geography text book of Zambia and sub-
region, times Printpack Zambia limited.

Certificate physical and human geography, new oxford progressive geography.