Heavy blasting gets Bikita communities choking in dust

Clouds of heavy dust rise each time that blasts are set off at Bikita Minerals

Trymore Tagwirei

People in six villages close to Bikita Minerals have complained about the continuous air pollution and environmental degradation caused by the lithium mine.

Villagers in Ward 30 say they are at risk of contracting airborne diseases emanating from dust caused by heavy blasting at the mine.

The affected villages are Mupfuti, Matezva, Maonde, Soma, Musasa and Mukonde under Chief Marozva’s area.

Anna Muchenje from Murape Village said life in the area was unbearable due to the high levels of dust and noise pollution.

“They blast an average of three times a day, and the dust that rises from there is terrible. We call upon the government to intervene and find ways to reduce the pollution. The mine sometimes delivers fresh milk to drink but we want a permanent solution,” said Muchenje, adding that many villagers were open to the idea of orderly relocation with fair compensation.

A widow with four children, Muchenje said her house had sustained cracks caused by vibrations after heavy blasting, and this situation had affected many other families.

In Murape Village, Adonia Togara said he was ready to relocate if given the necessary support since the village was no longer habitable.

“We are tired of the dust and the noise that make us sick but we currently lack the means to move out. This is now a bad place to live and I don’t see how we can continue like this,” said the 66-year-old Togara.

Part of the fields on which he used to grow crops with his family was taken by Bikita Minerals which promised to provide compensation and facilitate relocation, but had not yet done so by the time of writing.

Though Bikita Rural District Medical Officer Thalia Muchanyara-Mungwari said she was yet to receive formal complaints, Ward 30 Councilor Tichaona Badza said some affected villagers suffered from chest pains due to inhalation of large amounts of dust.

“Villagers are living in extremely hazardous environment. The mine should relocate the affected people especially from Matezva Village which suffers from the consequences of air and water pollution every day,” said Badza.

Last year, Bikita Minerals was accused of depositing toxic waste into Matezva Dam which is a source of water for the mine and dozens of local villages.

In the mining compound itself, families often spend several more hours away after every blast, waiting for clouds of dust blanketing their homes to settle first.

Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) director Farai Maguwu lamented the lack of enforcement of existing environmental laws and regulations.

“We want to see the government taking a stand against environmental crimes, mineral smuggling and all other ills committed by mining companies,” said Maguwu.

Environmental Management Agency Environmental Education and Publicity Officer Munyaradzi Mtisi said they would investigate complaints when they receive any.

“We haven’t received formal complaints as yet but we will investigate and come back to you,” said Mtisi. 

A 2023 report by the Global Development Policy Center on five Chinese financed-projects in three African countries noted that the investments did not meet the standards of China’s own recommended environmental social governance rules and its own mining laws.

Environmental impact

The mining of lithium is water intensive and can cause terrestrial and aquatic pollution from chemicals used to extract the metal. Locals say mining raises a lot of dust in and causes a lot of noise. The are many acts that speak to environmental issues in Zimbabwe. The laws include the Water Act, Atmospheric Pollution Act, the Hazardous Substances and Articles Act, the Communal Land Act, and the Environmental Management Act. The Environmental Act (2002) provides for the sustainable management of natural resources, prevention of pollution and environmental degradation.

Regulation

EMA is mandated to ensure compliance of all environmental laws including by mining entities like Bikita Minerals. However, mining companies owned especially by the Chinese have constantly been accused of gross environmental misconduct.

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