Effects of mining operations on air and water quality in Mufulira district of Zambia: A case study of Kankoyo Township

Air and water pollution are among the most significant environmental problems facing the communities living in and around the copper mining areas in Zambia. It is a complex issue, which cuts across the environmental, social, economic, and political dimensions. Despite recent investments and technological improvements to capture sulphur dioxide emissions and minimize the discharge of mine effluents into natural streams, there are still numerous reports that cite air and water pollution problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sulphur dioxide emissions and mine effluent discharge on air and water quality in Kankoyo Township of Mufulira district. The investigation involved sampling of the ambient air, mine effluents, and domestic water and determination of sulphur dioxide and various water quality parameters. The results indicated significant improvements in sulphur dioxide capture and subsequent reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions from the copper smelter. The average sulphur capture was 48% from 2007 to 2013 and about 94% from 2014 to 2018. However, the average annual sulphur dioxide level for 2017/2018 was 144.5 mu g/m(3) per 24 hours, which is 15.6% above the statutory limit of 125 mu g/m(3) in ambient air. The general water quality meets the statutory limits, despite the fact that the water quality in this area may be affected not only by the mining activities. but also by the dilapidated water infrastructure, which may be a further source of contamination from intrusion by surface run-off and sewage leakage.