Mine dump site Causing Environmental Air Pollution in Nyakallong

Tshepo Tsie

Mining is a major economic activity and it plays a significant role in the economy with positive and negative impacts, however, mine dumps have been the major problem factor in the community of Nyakallong. Air, agriculture, and environmental sectors are affected negatively because of mine dump dust. The health of residents is at high risk because they inhale mine dump dust when wind is blowing up the dust.

Made dumps are made of crushed stones and tailing, also made up of a complex mixture of metals and dust particles and it means that dust exposure can be high for the community living nearby. People who reside in proximity to mine dumps are exposed to polluted air that contains a complex mixture of heavy metals and trace elements such as gold, copper, lead, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, and selenium. Elderly people are more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution because of aging.

Most houses that are just situated near the mine dump site in Nyakallong have a major problem when the wind blows up the mine dump dust because residents that are exposed to dust can get irritation to the eye respiratory infections and a range of serious lung diseases including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer.

Live stock that grazes near Harmony Shaft Two is also affected by the mine dump dust because if animals are exposed to dust they can suffer from a variety of health disorders. The environment can also be affected negatively because mine dump dust affects photosynthesis and respiration in general. There is a decrease in productivity, and most plants in the community are affected negatively. The landscape in Nyakallong is affected negatively and it has changed.

An anonymous source who is situated near Harmony Shaft Two and the mine dump site said that “she lives with an elderly woman who has a chronic illness and when the wind is blowing mine dump dust she has to close windows and doors even if it’s hot so that her mom would not be affected negatively by mine dump dust”.

Harmony Shaft One and Two should make  a plan on how to prevent dust from blowing into the households by planting trees on the other side of Nyakallong, they also need to plant grass which effectively catches

dust, spraying mine dump with water, installing high-pressure dust suppression systems, and utilizing advanced dust monitoring equipment