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ISSUES AND APPROACHES IN MAPPING THE IMPACTS OF MINING ON THE 
ENVIRONMENT IN AFRICA 
(WITH TEST CASE FROM KITWE MINE, ZAMBIA) 
Dr. Tsehaie Woldai*, Mr. Daniel Limptlaw** 
* International Institute for Aerospace Survey & Earth Sciences (ITC), Enschede, The 
Netherlands 
Department of Mining Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 
ISPRS Commission VI Working Group 3 
Abstract 
Primary industries such as mining and agriculture form the backbone of developing economies 
throughout much of the world. In this regard, countries in Africa are no exception. From the 
colonial period until the present, these countries have relied heavily on the utilization of natural 
resources. As a result, a century of such production driven, environmentally insensitive policies has 
led to massive soil degradation and contamination, toxic vegetation, groundwater (surface and 
subsurface) pollution, mine dump disposal and landscape defacement around the mining areas. 
The mine areas are not only the most densely populated part of the country but also the most 
urbanized. Urban centers developed along with the mines as their nuclei and hence they pose spatial 
problems. The conflict for land between the needs of a growing urban population and the 
requirements of the mining industry is already sharpening that it needs an urgent and swift response 
before it erodes and becomes a destabilizing factor to many of this countries. This paper first 
analyses the mining activities and impacts often visible in many African countries and the 
challenges awaiting the African scientists in making such problem(s) visible in the decision making. 
A systematic and multi-disciplinary approach of mapping, monitoring and controlling the impact 
caused by the mining activities is advised. In most of the African countries (with a long history of 
mining or in process) however, the original baseline data or current environmental status concerning 
this activity is unknown or missing. As a start therefore, it is challenging to define the areas in 
which the problem arises. 
Priority in this direction, will be the delineation of the exact location of the mine works, waste tips 
and land cover changes. This can be achieved using remotely sensed data. The Kitwe mining area in 
Zambia, assessed using such data, fully justifies these expectations.