Lualaba Mining Pollution: Studies Warn of Major Health Risks
A Concerning Environmental Pollution
Four independent scientific studies conducted in Lualaba Province have raised concerns about significant air, water, and soil pollution around major copper and cobalt mining sites. Carried out in and around Kolwezi, the studies highlight contamination levels that could have serious consequences for the health of nearby communities.
According to researchers, concentrations of fine particles in the air greatly exceed World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, reaching up to six times the recommended limits. In some areas, nearly 98% of the measurements reportedly exceed safety thresholds.
Water Resources Also Affected
The studies also reveal alarming contamination of water resources.
In Kolwezi, a community well located near a mining tailings facility reportedly showed extreme acidity, with water up to one hundred times more acidic than recommended standards. High concentrations of manganese and other heavy metals were also detected.
Researchers believe that the chemical composition of the dust and pollutants observed is linked to copper and cobalt extraction and processing activities.
Feared Health Consequences
The authors of the studies point to several health risks associated with prolonged exposure, including respiratory diseases, neurological disorders, certain cancers, and reproductive health problems.
Children are considered particularly vulnerable to these forms of contamination.
Among affected communities, concern continues to grow. “We are being killed slowly,” said one resident quoted in a report, illustrating the distress felt by part of the local population.
Mining Companies Challenge or Qualify the Findings
Before publication, the organizations RAID, AFREWATCH, and Source International shared their findings with the main mining companies concerned: Tenke Fungurume Mining (TFM), Mutanda Mining (MUMI), and COMMUS.
TFM stated that it complies with Congolese regulations and international environmental standards. The company argues that its own monitoring data do not confirm the researchers’ conclusions and suggests that natural geology and artisanal mining activities may also contribute to the observed pollution.
Glencore, operator of Mutanda Mining, says it continuously monitors environmental emissions and incorporates study findings into its management systems. However, the company notes that it is difficult to attribute the impacts observed to a single mining operation in an area where multiple mining activities coexist.
COMMUS, operated by Zijin Mining, had not yet provided a detailed response at the time the report was published.
Recommendations to Protect Communities
Researchers are calling for urgent action by authorities, including greater transparency in environmental data publication, independent health assessments, and strict enforcement of the “polluter pays” principle provided for under the Congolese Mining Code.
According to the authors, the findings demonstrate the urgency of strengthening environmental monitoring to protect populations living in the heart of the DRC’s main mining basin.
MB – DeskEco
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