By John Cassim
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has revealed that cyanide and sodium hydroxide poisoning caused fish and livestock deaths following a spillage from Cambria 4 Mine in Masvingo a fortnight ago.
“The Agency collected water samples from the river for analysis at the Environmental Management laboratory, which revealed an elevated pH level, likely due to sodium hydroxide contamination. Traces of cyanide were also identified,” said Amkela Sidange, EMA’s Environmental Education and Publicity Manager, in a statement released this Sunday.
Cyanide is one of the deadliest poisons globally, and in Zimbabwe, it is used in mining operations. Sodium hydroxide is used to adjust the pH levels of water in mining slurries.
Both substances are highly dangerous and should never be released into the environment, particularly water sources used by the public. Tailings dams are designed to contain these hazardous materials at mining sites.
However, EMA has assured Zimbabweans that the water in the Shashe River is now safe.
“The Agency continuously collected daily water samples along the river for monitoring purposes, and recent samples indicate that the water is now environmentally safe,” EMA stressed.
Cambria 4 Mine remains closed following an order from EMA to cease operations.
Sidange stated that inspections conducted from January 1st revealed that heavy rains caused the tailings dam at Cambria 4 Mine to overflow, releasing slurry containing cyanide and sodium hydroxide into a small stream that feeds into the Shashe River. This resulted in pollution of the Shashe River.
“The inspection also revealed that the emergency trench surrounding the tailings dam failed to contain the overflow due to the heavy rainfall,” Sidange added.
The mine has been ordered to apply ferrous sulfate along the stream, rebuild the tailings dam walls, and deepen and widen the emergency trench around the dam.
Reports of livestock and wildlife deaths due to water pollution around mining areas are increasing in Zimbabwe, according to the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG).
“CNRG is alarmed by the rapid growth of large-scale open-cast mining operations across Zimbabwe in the past five years, particularly those led by Chinese nationals in collaboration with the country’s political elites. These mining operations, which often disregard the rule of law, have raised serious concerns about their impact on local communities, the environment, and biodiversity,” CNRG stated.
CNRG issued this statement in response to reports of 19 hippo deaths in the Zambezi River and the deaths of four rhinos and other wildlife species at Lake Chivero due to water pollution.
In May 2023, the government launched the Responsible Mining Initiative to curb illegal mining that has been detrimental to the environment.