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State gem miner pushes ahead with hazardous mining facility
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The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) has commenced operations at a high-risk deep diamond processing facility in Chiadzwa, despite internal warnings flagging serious safety failures that pose grave risks to workers, local communities, and the environment, the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.
An internal memorandum dated November 1, 2024, penned by senior laboratory technician Temba Captain, details numerous safety shortcomings at the newly built deep boiling laboratory, which utilizes highly toxic chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid (HF), stored at concentrations of up to 70%.
HF is a volatile and extremely dangerous substance capable of causing immediate, irreversible injury or even death upon exposure. Yet, sources within the company allege ZCDC moved forward with full operations at the facility without implementing essential safety protocols recommended in the memo.
"There is a great need to have standard chemical storage units that can hold the chemicals we are to be using on a day-to-day basis," warned Captain. "Issues of chemical compatibility have to be considered and having separate storage for the chemicals is ideal."
The internal memo, seen by the Independent, outlines a disturbing array of deficiencies: no dedicated chemical storage cabinets, inadequate ventilation, the absence of fixed gas detection systems, and operations without an environmental licence from the Environmental Management Agency (Ema).
The laboratory, intended to support ZCDC's diamond cleaning processes at its Chiadzwa concession, is reportedly lacking effluent containment systems and fume extraction units. Toxic vapours from the boiling process are said to be circulating through shared corridors and observation rooms, placing personnel in constant danger of chemical exposure.
"The collected effluent also needs to have a separate storage cabinet suitable to hold the chemicals and have a minimal release of fumes in the event of a spill," the memo adds.
Compounding the risks, the laboratory's location is over 100 kilometres from the nearest hospital. In the event of serious exposure to HF or other hazardous materials, delayed medical intervention could be fatal.
The memo also raised concern over the lack of fixed gas detectors with visual indicators. "Employees may be unaware of leaks until it is too late," Captain warned.
Adding to the controversy, the facility is reportedly operating without the required Ema environmental licence and has not undergone mandatory safety inspections by the Mines and Mining Development ministry - a legal requirement under Zimbabwe's occupational health and safety laws.
Despite acknowledging that the new laboratory was a "welcome initiative," Captain cautioned that its operation entailed daily handling of hazardous substances and therefore demanded rigorous safety precautions - particularly given the inexperience of new staff handling the dangerous processes.
"There is need to address a few of the following issues to ensure the safe operation of all laboratory personnel and other stakeholders involved in the diamond cleaning process," the memo reads. "As a new process being introduced… it is vital to have a standard laboratory set, as emergency situations can arise."
Captain stressed the critical need for HF to be stored in specially designed, non-metallic containers and isolated from incompatible substances to prevent reactive disasters.
Contacted for comment, Ema said it was still engaging its Manicaland provincial office at the time of publication. ZCDC spokesperson Sugar Chagonda did not respond to questions, instead requesting that the publication share the internal memo in question before issuing a response.
The latest revelations cast fresh scrutiny on the operations of ZCDC, which has previously come under fire for opaque practices in Zimbabwe's controversial diamond mining sector.
As the deep boiling laboratory continues to operate under these reportedly dangerous conditions, calls are growing for immediate regulatory intervention to prevent a potential chemical disaster.
An internal memorandum dated November 1, 2024, penned by senior laboratory technician Temba Captain, details numerous safety shortcomings at the newly built deep boiling laboratory, which utilizes highly toxic chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid (HF), stored at concentrations of up to 70%.
HF is a volatile and extremely dangerous substance capable of causing immediate, irreversible injury or even death upon exposure. Yet, sources within the company allege ZCDC moved forward with full operations at the facility without implementing essential safety protocols recommended in the memo.
"There is a great need to have standard chemical storage units that can hold the chemicals we are to be using on a day-to-day basis," warned Captain. "Issues of chemical compatibility have to be considered and having separate storage for the chemicals is ideal."
The internal memo, seen by the Independent, outlines a disturbing array of deficiencies: no dedicated chemical storage cabinets, inadequate ventilation, the absence of fixed gas detection systems, and operations without an environmental licence from the Environmental Management Agency (Ema).
The laboratory, intended to support ZCDC's diamond cleaning processes at its Chiadzwa concession, is reportedly lacking effluent containment systems and fume extraction units. Toxic vapours from the boiling process are said to be circulating through shared corridors and observation rooms, placing personnel in constant danger of chemical exposure.
"The collected effluent also needs to have a separate storage cabinet suitable to hold the chemicals and have a minimal release of fumes in the event of a spill," the memo adds.
Compounding the risks, the laboratory's location is over 100 kilometres from the nearest hospital. In the event of serious exposure to HF or other hazardous materials, delayed medical intervention could be fatal.
The memo also raised concern over the lack of fixed gas detectors with visual indicators. "Employees may be unaware of leaks until it is too late," Captain warned.
Adding to the controversy, the facility is reportedly operating without the required Ema environmental licence and has not undergone mandatory safety inspections by the Mines and Mining Development ministry - a legal requirement under Zimbabwe's occupational health and safety laws.
Despite acknowledging that the new laboratory was a "welcome initiative," Captain cautioned that its operation entailed daily handling of hazardous substances and therefore demanded rigorous safety precautions - particularly given the inexperience of new staff handling the dangerous processes.
"There is need to address a few of the following issues to ensure the safe operation of all laboratory personnel and other stakeholders involved in the diamond cleaning process," the memo reads. "As a new process being introduced… it is vital to have a standard laboratory set, as emergency situations can arise."
Captain stressed the critical need for HF to be stored in specially designed, non-metallic containers and isolated from incompatible substances to prevent reactive disasters.
Contacted for comment, Ema said it was still engaging its Manicaland provincial office at the time of publication. ZCDC spokesperson Sugar Chagonda did not respond to questions, instead requesting that the publication share the internal memo in question before issuing a response.
The latest revelations cast fresh scrutiny on the operations of ZCDC, which has previously come under fire for opaque practices in Zimbabwe's controversial diamond mining sector.
As the deep boiling laboratory continues to operate under these reportedly dangerous conditions, calls are growing for immediate regulatory intervention to prevent a potential chemical disaster.
Source - Zimbabwe Independent
