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Thereafter copper production progressively declined reaching a low of 307 000 tonnes per year in the 1980s due to depressed world prices.
Copper production declined at the turn of the millennium due to firming world prices and favourable investor policies. With increasing
copper production levels, Zambia witnessed severe but localized land degradation and deforestation.
hydrological system is affected by physical and
chemical damage caused by digging in river
channels, banks and their flood plains, as well
as contamination of river water with mercury
and cyanide, which are used in processing
gold (Shoko and Love 2005; Billaud
et al.
2004).
Environmental impacts of isolated small-scale
gold panning activities may not be significant,
but an accumulation of numerous panning
operations can create problems for both aquatic
and terrestrial ecosystems (Zwane
et al.
2006).
Awoman and her family panning for gold inMozambique.
© Manuel
Malaze, ARA ZAMBEZE