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Cyanide spill forces Ran Mine shutdown, residents warned
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Ran Mine, Bindura has been ordered by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) to shutdown after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of cyanide in water sources following a spill from the mine's slime dam last Thursday.
Residents in Chipadze suburb, Bindura have raised serious concerns about the safety of drinking water and the local ecosystem.
The shutdown was also prompted by EMA's discovery of cyanide traces in boreholes and streams near the Mushambanhaka streams flowing into Pote River, where reports of dead fish surfaced.
The contamination extended to the Chipadze area, forcing the agency to halt mine operations and prioritize addressing the "health hazard."
"Our laboratory analysis as from Thursday up to today, we have been sampling boreholes and streams close to Mushambanhaka into Pote River where there were reports of fish dying, we found that there are traces of cyanide in the area and as well as clusters area in Chipadze," EMA Mashonaland Central spokesperson Maxwell Mupotsa said.
However, Ran Mine’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Jack Murehwa did not respond to questions sent by Bulawayo24 news to him.
The decision to close the mine was reached in consensus with the Bindura Civil Protection Unit, which convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday to review the lab findings. The unit also mandated an immediate community awareness campaign to inform residents about the risks.
Officials are urging residents to avoid using well water, citing concerns about potential underground contamination.
"We just advised the community not to use the water from their wells because they are not fully protected, they must use the reticulation water from the council or local authority which is a bit safer as from now since we are expecting underground contamination," said Bindura Environmental Health Officer in the Health Child Care Ministry Fungai Mangwadu.
The situation has sparked anxiety and distrust among Chipadze residents, who were initially assured by Ran Mine that their own tests showed the water was safe. "We were told the mine conducted tests and the water was safe, but we saw with our own eyes that vegetables and trees were affected," one resident expressed. "On top of that we have some shallow wells and now we are surprised we are being told not to use the water now. Our health is now at risk because we have been drinking that water."
Another resident, a wheelchair user, voiced concerns about potential exposure through contact with contaminated water while navigating the area. "I use a wheel chair and as you can see when I pass my gate there is water there. I don't know to what extent I will be affected since I handle that water when wheeling my wheelchair."
The incident has raised questions about the mine's safety protocols and the efficacy of its initial testing. Continuous assessment by a joint team comprising EMA, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), and the Ministry of Health is ongoing until decontamination efforts are deemed successful. The authorities have not provided a timeline for when the mine might be allowed to resume operations.
Residents in Chipadze suburb, Bindura have raised serious concerns about the safety of drinking water and the local ecosystem.
The shutdown was also prompted by EMA's discovery of cyanide traces in boreholes and streams near the Mushambanhaka streams flowing into Pote River, where reports of dead fish surfaced.
The contamination extended to the Chipadze area, forcing the agency to halt mine operations and prioritize addressing the "health hazard."
"Our laboratory analysis as from Thursday up to today, we have been sampling boreholes and streams close to Mushambanhaka into Pote River where there were reports of fish dying, we found that there are traces of cyanide in the area and as well as clusters area in Chipadze," EMA Mashonaland Central spokesperson Maxwell Mupotsa said.
However, Ran Mine’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Jack Murehwa did not respond to questions sent by Bulawayo24 news to him.
The decision to close the mine was reached in consensus with the Bindura Civil Protection Unit, which convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday to review the lab findings. The unit also mandated an immediate community awareness campaign to inform residents about the risks.
Officials are urging residents to avoid using well water, citing concerns about potential underground contamination.
"We just advised the community not to use the water from their wells because they are not fully protected, they must use the reticulation water from the council or local authority which is a bit safer as from now since we are expecting underground contamination," said Bindura Environmental Health Officer in the Health Child Care Ministry Fungai Mangwadu.
The situation has sparked anxiety and distrust among Chipadze residents, who were initially assured by Ran Mine that their own tests showed the water was safe. "We were told the mine conducted tests and the water was safe, but we saw with our own eyes that vegetables and trees were affected," one resident expressed. "On top of that we have some shallow wells and now we are surprised we are being told not to use the water now. Our health is now at risk because we have been drinking that water."
Another resident, a wheelchair user, voiced concerns about potential exposure through contact with contaminated water while navigating the area. "I use a wheel chair and as you can see when I pass my gate there is water there. I don't know to what extent I will be affected since I handle that water when wheeling my wheelchair."
The incident has raised questions about the mine's safety protocols and the efficacy of its initial testing. Continuous assessment by a joint team comprising EMA, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), and the Ministry of Health is ongoing until decontamination efforts are deemed successful. The authorities have not provided a timeline for when the mine might be allowed to resume operations.
Source - Byo24News
