Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Kabwe mine
The Kabwe mine or Broken Hill mine is a former lead smelting and mining site near Kabwe, Zambia, that operated from 1906 to 1994. At its peak, between 1925 and 1974, it was owned by Anglo American plc and was Africa's largest lead producer. The mine produced extremely toxic lead pollution for ninety years. Several studies have confirmed that over 100,000 people near the mine, including tens of thousands of children, suffer from lead poisoning. Kabwe is one of the world's most polluted towns.
In 1921, a "bone cave" that included a fossilised human skull called Kabwe 1 was discovered in the mine. This fossil was the first remains of an extinct human relative to be found in Africa. The skull was studied by Arthur Smith Woodward of the British Museum of Natural History, who published a paper naming the new human precursor Homo rhodesiensis. Study of the Kabwe skull has had important implications for understanding of human evolution and prehistory.
The mine was privatised and closed by the Zambian government in 1995. In 2021, there were still about five million tons of mine tailings on the site, and the Zambian government had licensed reprocessing of this waste and further mining by the South African company Jubilee Metals. The area is also mined by artisanal miners. All of these activities pose ongoing health risks for local communities by releasing additional lead.
In July 2021, UN special rapporteurs urged the Zambian government to remediate the toxic site. Human rights and environmental organisations also urged the government to address the pollution and resulting health problems in local communities. A lawsuit against Anglo American concerning the pollution was ongoing in South Africa in 2023.
Kabwe is located near the African Copperbelt, 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Zambia's capital, Lusaka. The town had a population of about 220,000 in 2017. The mine and the area around it were originally called "Broken Hill" after a mine in Australia that possessed similar ores. The area was renamed "Kabwe" after Zambian independence in 1964. Mining in Zambia continues to provide over 40% of government revenue, although it has provided few benefits to local communities who frequently live in poverty.
Lead poisoning most seriously affects children who are exposed to lead in dust and frequently put their hands in their mouths. This poisoning can affect brain development and cause permanent damage at a young age. Severe exposure can cause death. Lead in the blood above 5 μg/dL is considered elevated, and death is likely when levels are above 150 μg/dL. The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) has set 3.5 μg/dL as the allowable level of lead in the blood.
During its life, the mine produced over 1.8 million tons (mt) of zinc, 0.8 mt of lead metal; 7,816 tonnes of vanadium oxide; 80,000 kilograms of silver; and 235,000 kilograms of cadmium.
Mining began in 1904 and reached commercial production in 1906 when the first railway in the country, operated by Rhodesian Railways, reached the Broken Hill mine. During its peak production from 1925 to 1974, the mine was majority owned by Anglo American plc, which was headquartered in South Africa at the time. Anglo American is one of the largest mining companies in the world. The Zambian government then took over the mine until it closed in 1994. Anglo American has said it never owned or operated the mine.
Hub AI
Kabwe mine AI simulator
(@Kabwe mine_simulator)
Kabwe mine
The Kabwe mine or Broken Hill mine is a former lead smelting and mining site near Kabwe, Zambia, that operated from 1906 to 1994. At its peak, between 1925 and 1974, it was owned by Anglo American plc and was Africa's largest lead producer. The mine produced extremely toxic lead pollution for ninety years. Several studies have confirmed that over 100,000 people near the mine, including tens of thousands of children, suffer from lead poisoning. Kabwe is one of the world's most polluted towns.
In 1921, a "bone cave" that included a fossilised human skull called Kabwe 1 was discovered in the mine. This fossil was the first remains of an extinct human relative to be found in Africa. The skull was studied by Arthur Smith Woodward of the British Museum of Natural History, who published a paper naming the new human precursor Homo rhodesiensis. Study of the Kabwe skull has had important implications for understanding of human evolution and prehistory.
The mine was privatised and closed by the Zambian government in 1995. In 2021, there were still about five million tons of mine tailings on the site, and the Zambian government had licensed reprocessing of this waste and further mining by the South African company Jubilee Metals. The area is also mined by artisanal miners. All of these activities pose ongoing health risks for local communities by releasing additional lead.
In July 2021, UN special rapporteurs urged the Zambian government to remediate the toxic site. Human rights and environmental organisations also urged the government to address the pollution and resulting health problems in local communities. A lawsuit against Anglo American concerning the pollution was ongoing in South Africa in 2023.
Kabwe is located near the African Copperbelt, 100 kilometres (62 mi) north of Zambia's capital, Lusaka. The town had a population of about 220,000 in 2017. The mine and the area around it were originally called "Broken Hill" after a mine in Australia that possessed similar ores. The area was renamed "Kabwe" after Zambian independence in 1964. Mining in Zambia continues to provide over 40% of government revenue, although it has provided few benefits to local communities who frequently live in poverty.
Lead poisoning most seriously affects children who are exposed to lead in dust and frequently put their hands in their mouths. This poisoning can affect brain development and cause permanent damage at a young age. Severe exposure can cause death. Lead in the blood above 5 μg/dL is considered elevated, and death is likely when levels are above 150 μg/dL. The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) has set 3.5 μg/dL as the allowable level of lead in the blood.
During its life, the mine produced over 1.8 million tons (mt) of zinc, 0.8 mt of lead metal; 7,816 tonnes of vanadium oxide; 80,000 kilograms of silver; and 235,000 kilograms of cadmium.
Mining began in 1904 and reached commercial production in 1906 when the first railway in the country, operated by Rhodesian Railways, reached the Broken Hill mine. During its peak production from 1925 to 1974, the mine was majority owned by Anglo American plc, which was headquartered in South Africa at the time. Anglo American is one of the largest mining companies in the world. The Zambian government then took over the mine until it closed in 1994. Anglo American has said it never owned or operated the mine.