Introduction

The Manica district in Mozambique is known since many years by the occurrence of mineralization,
with most evidence to gold mineralization. This makes this district target of many works of
exploration and mining activities, but also becomes the stage of worrying environmental impacts,
particularly in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) of alluvial gold. This study is a
result of a visit made during a fieldwork of students of Eduardo Mondlane University to the artisanal
mining in the district. Are aim to make a comparative analysis of the environmental effects that the
artisanal and small scale mining have been caused over time on the ground.
Goals and Methodologies
To assess the environmental impacts of ASGM of the Chua River valley by evaluating the mining
expansion over the past 10 years, with particular concern on the river pattern, vegetation covers. For
the execution of this study we used the following procedures: Literature search of work carried out in
Manica District in particular; Satellite Imagery from Google Earth images analysis from the years
2005 to 2015 and analyze some pictures made in the stage.
Location and Geological Settings
The Chua region is located northward the Manica
village, in the Manica District, Manica Province,
Mozambique, Africa. Constituting one of the
major adhesion sites for the artisanal and smallscale gold mining. It is bounded by the Munene
River on the South and by the Revue River on

the North.
Figure 1. Map of location of study area
(Chua River Valley) (Source: Sitoe, 2001)

Geologically, the region of Manica is an extension in the E-W direction of Zimbabwe Craton in
Mozambican Territory and is one of the most stable nucleus of Southern Africa. Manica make part of
the belt of green rocks (greenstone belt) called Odzi-Mutare-Manica Greenstone Belt of Archaic
Zimbabwe Craton and is truncated form East by the Pan-African Mozambique Belt. The greenstone
belt is surrounded by granitoids (GTK Consortium, 2006). In Mozambique, the lower Unit of OdziMutare-Manica greenstone belt make part of Macequece Group which corresponds to Bulawayano in
Zimbabwe and is characterized by an underwater volcanic mafic and ultramafic series with BIF's
intersperses and tufts. The upper unit is characterized by metasediments which make part of Vengo
Group that corresponds to Shanvaiano and is separated from the lower unit by an angular
inconformity, consists of deep sea sediments, dolomite calcareous and siliceous volcanic rocks. All
units are cut by dikes doleritics dykes of Paleoproterozoic (1830 Ma) and other Pan African.
Gold alluvial deposits in the river valley Chua, has as its genesis the weathering and erosion of rocks
containing Au within the greenstone belt of Manica (Galilaer et al 1980). Artisanal mining activity
has been the source of livelihood of many families in the Manica district, also there is plenty of grip
of people from neighboring Zimbabwe.

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4-8 September 2016, Barcelona, Spain

Results and Discussions

Analyzed aerial images 2005 extracted from
Google Earth, the mining activity had not yet
intensified; it verified that the intense vegetation
along the river banks. The impacts have not yet
made themselves felt much in the area.

Figure 2. Images of 2005 extracted from

Google Earth. Font: Google Earth.

The 2006 image shows a clearly that the mining

activities is affecting the water quality. The image
shows the siltation of the riverbeds.

Figure 3. Images of 2006 extracted from

Google Earth. Font: Google Earth.

Images of 2010 already show some changes of the

river network, and soil degradation. This shows that
the ASGM mining activity was gaining more
adherences. The high sediment loads discharged on
the river tend to create new streams.

Figure 4. Images of 2010 extracted from Google

Earth. Font: Google Earth.

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4-8 September 2016, Barcelona, Spain

The 2015 images show remarkably that the

ASGM activity has boomed, there is an
increase in both the extent of ASGM and
sediment concentrations in the rivers.

Figure 5. Images of 2015 extracted from

Google Earth. Font: Google Earth.

On site there was the opening of graves that have been abandoned and were not covered, opening
valleys altering watercourses. The direct disposal of mining tailings and improper pit holes opening
have a significant influence on increased sediment transport into the river drainage, hence reducing
the critical depth of the river (Sousa and Veiga, 2009). It is clear on the image that the sediment
derived from ASGM reduced critical depth of the river in the tributaries.

Figure 6. Images that shows opening valleys which are altering watercourses and shows the
pit holes opened which have influence in topography and geomorphology alteration. Images
of Authors.
Conclusions
From 2005 to 2015, the artisanal mining activities in the river valley Chua intensified and many
environmental impacts are checked. However this association depends on several other factors
regarding ASGM activities, such as the applied mining technique and intensity of gold mining,
represented by number of miners and gold production. The combination of these factors defines main
chronological periods of environmental changes in the Chua river valley. Its important to refer that
the mining techniques has not changed with time, so the special concern is addressed to the increasing
number of ASG miners. The peak of environmental impacts on this region is verified on the period of
2010 to present, characterized by intensification of ASGM, resulting in increase water quality
degradation, soil degradation, degradation of river network and Siltation of riverbeds.

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4-8 September 2016, Barcelona, Spain

Bibliography

Galilaer L. and Jahmel G (1980). Review of alluvium from the village of Manica, Direcao
Nacional de Geologia, Mozambique.
Nassabe, CG (2009). Quantification of gold produced by artisanal mining in Munhena and
Chua, Scientific Project, Geology Department, UEM.
Lchelt, S. (2004). Geology and mineral resources of Mozambique. 266 pp.
Geoide Consultoria (2010). Study about Artesinal Mining and Technologies for Sustainable
Development in Manica District. 20pp.
Veiga, M. M. (1997). Mercury in Artisanal Gold Mining in Latin America: Facts, Fantasies and
Solutions.Vienna: UNIDO.
Sousa, R. N. & Veiga, M. M. (2009). Using Performance Indicators to Evaluate an Environmental
Education Program in Artisanal Gold Mining Communities in the Brazilian Amazon.
GTK Consortium (2006). Map explanation Tome / volume 2, Scale 1:250 000.

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