The cost of copper

Skies of Kitwe

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I've mentioned to Tod that I'm probably breathing in the equivalent of four packs of cigarettes a day.  But it wasn't until I did a bit of internet searching that I found out I just might be correct.

Mine in Kane West, Kitwe

From the Lusaka Times, 12 October 2012 (and I can only guess it's worse now)...“Arriving in the evening at sunset in Kitwe, one cannot even clearly see the beauty of sun set as it is because of the polluted air from the mines. ... What has copper mining done to the lives of many Zambians on the Copperbelt other than jeopardizing their health with air and water pollution,” Mr Sishekanu said.

As I do more research the words lead, cobalt, zinc, mercury, chromium seem to rise with the sun in the haze of Kitwe.  I discover this 2017 headline from The Guardian describing the town Kabwe, about 2 hours from here:

The world's most toxic town: the terrible legacy of Zambia's lead mines: Almost a century of lead mining and smelting has poisoned generations of children in the Copperbelt town of Kabwe in Zambia.

I start thinking of all the beautiful leaded church windows in Britain and the USA.  My Chicago hostel room at seminary featured fabulous leaded windows fashioned after those in the great English Universities. 

Kabwe, The Guardian photo

The 2018 report of Zambia's Central Statistical Office seems innocent enough when it states, 'The country is endowed with various minerals and precious stones such as copper, emeralds, zinc, lead and cobalt.'

Life expectancy in 2018 here in Zambia:  for men 52 years, for women 59.

The Guardian writes:

Kabwe water, The Guardian photo

'Kabwe is the world’s most toxic town, according to pollution experts, where mass lead poisoning has almost certainly damaged the brains and other organs of generations of children – and where children continue to be poisoned every day.

'Almost a century of lead mining and smelting has left a truly toxic legacy in the once-thriving town of 220,000 people in central Africa’s Copperbelt, 100km north of the capital Lusaka. But the real impact on Kabwe’s people is yet to be fully revealed and, while the first steps towards a clean-up have begun, new dangers are emerging as desperately poor people scavenge in the vast slag heap known as Black Mountain.

'“Having been to probably 20 toxic hotspots throughout the world, and seeing mercury, chromium and many contaminated lead sites, [I can say] the scale in Kabwe is unprecedented,” says Prof Jack Caravanos, an environmental health expert at New York University, on his fourth visit to the town. “There are thousands of people affected here, not hundreds as in other places.”

'The fumes from the giant state-owned smelter, which closed in 1994, has left the dusty soil in the surrounding area with extreme levels of lead. The metal, still used around the world in car batteries, is a potent neurotoxin and is particularly damaging to children. But it is youngsters who swallow the most, especially as infants when they start to play outside and frequently put their hands in their mouths.'

To read the full Guardian article click here.

Today's prayer request:
Please pray for the children of Kabwe and Kitwe. 
Prayerfully consider your use of heavy metals and precious gems.

Click here to read this entire post on my blog
Ana's Zambia Journey blog link: https://zambiajourney.blogspot.com/