GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cape Town
Department Name: Department of Chemical Engineering
Abstract
GCRF MINE DUST AND HEALTH NETWORK SUMMARY
While the mining industry contributes significantly to the economies of developing countries around the world, mining activities have notable negative environmental and health impacts. Among these, the dust emitted by mining and its associated operations is a cause of increasing concern. Apart from impacting the health of mine-workers who breathe in mineral dust particles, dust is emitted from open pit mines, ore processing and metal extraction plants, ore stockpiles, ore transport containers and mine waste deposits, impacting the wider environment and communities. Lung diseases caused or exacerbated by mine dust exposure include silicosis (caused by inhaling quartz or crystalline silica), black lung disease (caused by inhaling coal dust) and tuberculosis (silica dust exposure increases the risk of pulmonary TB, particularly in gold miners). This places a huge burden on already-strained public health and social security systems.
Occupational health hazards from mining are well documented, and the link between dust and lung disease was recently recognised in a class action lawsuit against the six main mining houses in South Africa, awarded in favour of mine workers who contracted silicosis and TB working on gold mines between March 1965 and May 2018 (https://www.silicosissettlement.co.za/). However, the health effects associated with environmental dust emissions, although frequently a concern expressed by communities and community support organisations, have not been rigorously studied. Meaningful data is needed to inform what strategies and policies will work best to mitigate the effects of mine dust on communities living near mines and mine dumps, the populations of which number in their millions. Gathering such data is not simple, however. There are many complexities involved, with dust sources and their effects being influenced by inter-related factors covering the health, economic, social, geological, environmental, engineering, management, and political spheres. The issues associated with mine dust are also frequently contentious and involve diverse stakeholders and interested and affected parties with different, and often conflicting priorities. Poor engagement and communication between experts and lay persons, disciplinary silos and polarised viewpoints have made it difficult to develop a holistic understanding of the complex health issues associated with environmental emissions of mine dusts, and consequently to design meaningful and integrated approaches to address such issues.
It is these challenges that our GCRF MINE DUST AND HEALTH NETWORK will seek to address by bringing together researchers, stakeholders and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and professional backgrounds to identify sources, challenges and potential mitigation opportunities associated with public health effects from dust pollution arising from mining activities. Focus will be on integrating and sharing knowledge and information across different disciplines and stakeholders on potential source and dispersion pathways; potential risks to the environment and the health, quality of life and livelihoods of mining-affected communities; monitoring methods and practices; measures to manage dispersion and impacts; stakeholder engagement and communication; and governance policies, standards and regulations.
Ultimately, the GCRF Mine Dust and Health network will serve as a collaborative think-tank to inform research directions both within and across disciplines; government policy and regulations; health monitoring programmes at public clinics; industry best practice; and community healthcare and impact prevention programmes across southern Africa and, as the Network expands, the globe.
While the mining industry contributes significantly to the economies of developing countries around the world, mining activities have notable negative environmental and health impacts. Among these, the dust emitted by mining and its associated operations is a cause of increasing concern. Apart from impacting the health of mine-workers who breathe in mineral dust particles, dust is emitted from open pit mines, ore processing and metal extraction plants, ore stockpiles, ore transport containers and mine waste deposits, impacting the wider environment and communities. Lung diseases caused or exacerbated by mine dust exposure include silicosis (caused by inhaling quartz or crystalline silica), black lung disease (caused by inhaling coal dust) and tuberculosis (silica dust exposure increases the risk of pulmonary TB, particularly in gold miners). This places a huge burden on already-strained public health and social security systems.
Occupational health hazards from mining are well documented, and the link between dust and lung disease was recently recognised in a class action lawsuit against the six main mining houses in South Africa, awarded in favour of mine workers who contracted silicosis and TB working on gold mines between March 1965 and May 2018 (https://www.silicosissettlement.co.za/). However, the health effects associated with environmental dust emissions, although frequently a concern expressed by communities and community support organisations, have not been rigorously studied. Meaningful data is needed to inform what strategies and policies will work best to mitigate the effects of mine dust on communities living near mines and mine dumps, the populations of which number in their millions. Gathering such data is not simple, however. There are many complexities involved, with dust sources and their effects being influenced by inter-related factors covering the health, economic, social, geological, environmental, engineering, management, and political spheres. The issues associated with mine dust are also frequently contentious and involve diverse stakeholders and interested and affected parties with different, and often conflicting priorities. Poor engagement and communication between experts and lay persons, disciplinary silos and polarised viewpoints have made it difficult to develop a holistic understanding of the complex health issues associated with environmental emissions of mine dusts, and consequently to design meaningful and integrated approaches to address such issues.
It is these challenges that our GCRF MINE DUST AND HEALTH NETWORK will seek to address by bringing together researchers, stakeholders and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and professional backgrounds to identify sources, challenges and potential mitigation opportunities associated with public health effects from dust pollution arising from mining activities. Focus will be on integrating and sharing knowledge and information across different disciplines and stakeholders on potential source and dispersion pathways; potential risks to the environment and the health, quality of life and livelihoods of mining-affected communities; monitoring methods and practices; measures to manage dispersion and impacts; stakeholder engagement and communication; and governance policies, standards and regulations.
Ultimately, the GCRF Mine Dust and Health network will serve as a collaborative think-tank to inform research directions both within and across disciplines; government policy and regulations; health monitoring programmes at public clinics; industry best practice; and community healthcare and impact prevention programmes across southern Africa and, as the Network expands, the globe.
Planned Impact
Mining is essential to the economies of many southern African countries. However, the industry also has many drawbacks, most notably its contribution to air, soil and water pollution. A major problem in all mining-intensive developing countries is the amount of dust generated by mining activities, particularly from the thousands of abandoned and un-rehabilitated mine dumps around which millions of people live. Mine dust contains fine mineral particles that when inhaled can cause lung disease and other respiratory problems like asthma. It can also contaminate soil and vegetation, including along roads and railway lines on which mine ore is transported. The most notable connection between mine dust and health is in mineworkers, who suffer the triple epidemic of silicosis (lung disease caused by inhaling quartz or crystalline silica), tuberculosis, and HIV. The GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network aims to contribute to meaningful and implementable solutions to the adverse health effects of mine dust, through engaging with academics, policy makers, communities and industry within a global engagement network. The impact of the network's activities will be felt at first by four southern African countries that will be initial members of the network: South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique. However, as the network grows through an open membership policy, it will positively impact the health and environment of mining-intensive developing countries throughout Africa, South America and Asia.
The network will benefit specifically:
MINING AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, THROUGH IMPROVED HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT.
Vulnerable communities will benefit directly from community awareness programmes designed to raise awareness of the critical health issues and how adverse effects can be mitigated. This will empower communities to engage on specific issues on an informed basis, which has a greater potential to derive meaningful improvements.
POLICY MAKERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THROUGH PROVIDING THE CONTEXT AND SUBSTANCE THEY NEED TO GUIDE POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION.
Regional policymakers that balance the interest of stakeholders will gain greater clarity on the scale of impacts, an increased understanding of the key technical issues, and a greater appreciation of the context of different stakeholders. Involvement of regional representatives from South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique will provide a broader geographic context.
INDUSTRY, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS, THROUGH IMPROVED ALIGNMENT WITH POLICY MAKERS AND COMMUNITIES.
Misalignment between stakeholders on the key issues and policy direction consume unnecessary resources and effort with little benefits to vulnerable communities. Improved alignment will ensure that time is not lost finding common ground and implementation focus, due to the protection of narrow interests and stakeholder specific perspectives.
ACADEMICS, THROUGH KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER, THE SHARING OF CAPACITY, RESEARCH FOCUS, AND SHARED DATA.
The network will enable the sharing of knowledge by connecting academics across the UK and southern Africa (and, eventually, globally) around a common cause. Academics will have free access to resources and data used in the process. Aspirant academics will be exposed to the subject matter and will receive mentorship to grow their careers and take future leadership roles in the field, prolonging the impact of the Network.
SOCIETY, THROUGH A REDUCED HEALTH BURDEN AND INCREASED ECONOMIC PRODUCTION.
Southern African society will benefit from a reduced health cost burden and increased economic production that is expected from improved policy and the implementation of mitigation measures. This will make a valued contribution to an already burdened society and economy that can ill-afford additional constraints. This network model's rollout to other ODA countries would provide similar impacts in their societies.
The network will benefit specifically:
MINING AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, THROUGH IMPROVED HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT.
Vulnerable communities will benefit directly from community awareness programmes designed to raise awareness of the critical health issues and how adverse effects can be mitigated. This will empower communities to engage on specific issues on an informed basis, which has a greater potential to derive meaningful improvements.
POLICY MAKERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THROUGH PROVIDING THE CONTEXT AND SUBSTANCE THEY NEED TO GUIDE POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION.
Regional policymakers that balance the interest of stakeholders will gain greater clarity on the scale of impacts, an increased understanding of the key technical issues, and a greater appreciation of the context of different stakeholders. Involvement of regional representatives from South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique will provide a broader geographic context.
INDUSTRY, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS, THROUGH IMPROVED ALIGNMENT WITH POLICY MAKERS AND COMMUNITIES.
Misalignment between stakeholders on the key issues and policy direction consume unnecessary resources and effort with little benefits to vulnerable communities. Improved alignment will ensure that time is not lost finding common ground and implementation focus, due to the protection of narrow interests and stakeholder specific perspectives.
ACADEMICS, THROUGH KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER, THE SHARING OF CAPACITY, RESEARCH FOCUS, AND SHARED DATA.
The network will enable the sharing of knowledge by connecting academics across the UK and southern Africa (and, eventually, globally) around a common cause. Academics will have free access to resources and data used in the process. Aspirant academics will be exposed to the subject matter and will receive mentorship to grow their careers and take future leadership roles in the field, prolonging the impact of the Network.
SOCIETY, THROUGH A REDUCED HEALTH BURDEN AND INCREASED ECONOMIC PRODUCTION.
Southern African society will benefit from a reduced health cost burden and increased economic production that is expected from improved policy and the implementation of mitigation measures. This will make a valued contribution to an already burdened society and economy that can ill-afford additional constraints. This network model's rollout to other ODA countries would provide similar impacts in their societies.
Organisations
- University of Cape Town (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Stellenbosch University (Collaboration)
- Western Cape Government (Collaboration)
- National Association for Clean Air (Collaboration)
- Tshiamiso Trust (Collaboration)
- African Union Development Agency (Collaboration)
- The Regional Network on Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa (Collaboration)
- Saldanha Bay Municipality (Collaboration)
- University of Zambia (Collaboration)
Publications
Broadhurst, J.L.
(2021)
The GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network: A collaborative engagement platform
Broadhurst JL
(2019)
GCRF Mine dust and Health Network: a collaborative, inter-disciplinary think-tank
| Description | One of the key objectives of the GCRF mine dust and health network is to facilitate a shared and mutual understanding of the inter-related health risks and mitigation opportunities relating to mine dust. In this regard, the interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral workshop held in September 2019, and attended by 49 delegates from across South Africa and Zambia, identified four priority research areas of key relevance to mine dusts and its impacts, namely (i) exposure and health (ii) monitoring and measuring (iii) stakeholder awareness and education and (iv) mitigation and innovation. Engagement activities over the past 2-3 years have highlighted the inter-related and complex nature of these issues. The key findings from the presentations and discussions are as follows: • The generation of reliable data on the exposure and health effects of mine dust through adequate monitoring and measuring for instance is of key underpinning importance. Although much research has been conducted around occupational health and exposure, there is still inadequate data and information on the sources, toxicity levels and health effects of environmental exposure to dust from mining related activities. In particular, the relationship between the physicochemical properties of dust particles and their health effects remains largely unknown, with regulatory limits and health risk assessments remaining largely concerned with mass concentrations, rather than the inherent dust properties which can vary significantly for different operations and different commodities. Furthermore, it is unknown how the different exposures interact and how exposure is influenced by social factors such as housing, poverty, access to water and environmental factors. These factors are particularly relevant to developing (low to upper middle income) countries, characterised by high levels of informal settlements and artisanal mining activities which exacerbate dust generation and exposure effects, and make regulation and management of such more difficult. The general consensus is that there is a need for more extensive and long-term surveillance of mining-related dust exposure and health effects in these high-risk situations and amongst vulnerable communities. • Current gravitational sampling methods for monitoring and regulating dust, whilst relatively inexpensive, are outdated and unsatisfactory. Furthermore, even when installed, the maintenance of air quality measuring stations is often poor, and the interpretation of generated data inadequate. Technological advancements in instrumentation and in data management systems create opportunities to establish a network of affordable sensors that can generate extensive and detailed databases and facilitate more reliable source-exposure mapping, particularly in mining communities located in underdeveloped countries. This, in in turn, can inform more meaningful regulations and control measures, and potentially address current concerns amongst health practitioners as to whether existing regulatory standards are adequate to ensure safe environments and protect health. • Establishing causality in the case of environmental dust emissions requires case study control or cohort design studies, which are inherently challenging and complex. This is partly due to the fact that many of the impacts from exposure are latent and subjected to a large number of effect modifiers (see previous point). The solution may lie in relatively new techniques that look at genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, cytomics, etc. and combining these with existing approaches in an integrated manner. Effective health risk assessments also need to be conducted in collaboration with communities. • Apart from meaningful legislation and regulatory standards, network members also highlighted the need for a consistent and well enforced regulatory system. It was noted that even where comprehensive legislation is in place, policies and regulations are generally poorly aligned even within, but more particularly across, national governments. This is aggravated by the fact that legislation currently tends to focus on mine dust as an occupational work issue, rather than a public health or exposure problem. Furthermore, new legislation around mining in South Africa, does not deal effectively with legacy issues typically associated with mining activities. • The importance of on-going multi-stakeholder engagement and involvement has been highlighted as being essential across all mine-dust related priority areas, particularly in monitoring and measurement, and in the co-development and co-design of policy and mitigation interventions. Such stakeholders should cover all affected and involved communities, including people living in the vicinity of mines and along ore transport routes, miners themselves, policy makers and regulators, civil society organisations, researchers etc, many of whom bring valuable perspectives despite their different, and sometimes conflicting, priorities. Civil society is considered to have a key role to play in holding industry and regulators to account, backed by strong advocacy and judiciary. Civil society organisations can also play a key role in supporting communities to conduct their own research, using tools such as low-cost sensors (citizen science approaches). The data collected from local communities can be used to compliment and augment data from dust monitoring campaigns, creating a more complete picture of the environmental distribution and transport of dust. The active involvement of stakeholders in decision and policymaking, however, requires that they have access to relevant knowledge and information. Knowledge sharing and awareness building amongst stakeholders is thus essential. There is also still a considerable need for training of health practitioners on the symptoms of dust-related diseases. Also of importance is the need to effectively communicate the concerns and experiences of communities to relevant parties. Currently reports by dust-impacted communities and community-support organisations solicit very little response from either the mining industry or government. • The dust-related impacts of mining activities are not restricted to mine host communities but can occur hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away from mining operations as a result of the transport of ores. Such is the case in Saldanha Bay which hosts a major port for the export of iron and manganese ores as well as other commodities from South Africa. The working group meeting with residents and business owners held in March 2022 found that, apart from impacts on health and quality of life, there were also concerns over the potential socio-economic impacts due to lost developmental opportunities in these areas. It was noted that current legislation, government policies and industry corporate social responsibility initiatives furthermore do not consider the impacts of mining on geographically dispersed communities along ore transport routes, focusing only on local host and labour-sending communities. Further on-line surveys and focus group meetings were held in November and December 2022 to specifically target the more economically disadvantaged citizens in the municipality. These focus group meetings also highlighted concerns regarding air pollution and the subsequent effects that this had on human and livestock health, as well as agricultural activities. There was, however, a general sense of despondency and apathy amongst this group of citizens, particularly amongst community leaders, and attendance of focus groups was generally poor. Those who attended expressed the need to be more involved in decision-making relating to dust policies and mitigation measures, and to have access to information regarding dust pollution in the area in a digestible form. The youth, in particular, were also interested in information relating to impacts and risks of dust exposure and in methods to mitigate these impacts. There was a general willingness to participate in a citizen-science platform for the reporting of dust pollution incidences, as well as for information sharing. • Another priority area in terms of community impacts from mine dust is the West Witwatersrand. The Witwatersrand Gold Fields are reported to contain more than 270 defunct gold mine tailings dumps, which remain either totally unrehabilitated or only partly rehabilitated, and which frequently occur in very close proximity to human settlements, hence creating significant dust related impacts. Also of concern is the current trend towards higher, drier and steeper mine tailings impoundments, as well as the potential effects of climate change on water availability and local landscapes, all of which are likely to enhance the risks of dust emissions in mining-intensive locations over the long-term. Although there is significant anecdotal evidence that dusts from tailings facilities is having an adverse effect on the health of local communities, there is a lack of epidemiological studies and quantitative health risk assessments establishing causality. Two key recommendations emerged from the multi-stakeholder held in the West Rand on the March 2022: firstly, it was recommended that a more holistic and integrated regional plan for TSFs and their footprints post re-mining or repurposing be developed for the region. This type of a plan was considered essential in light of the complexities of the current situation, with on-going reclamation of historical dumps, design and establishment of new super-dumps, and unplanned mine closures occurring alongside persistent problems relating to abandoned deposits. It was proposed that such development would furthermore need to be underpinned by a regional inventory database of TSFs, their properties and status, as well as a detailed life cycle analysis of different management options (including reclamation, repurposing & rehabilitation) for tailings, TSFs, and TSF footprints, in terms of their economic, environmental and social implications, and the factors affecting such. Also highlighted was the need to more consolidated regional development plan on which a TSF management plan could be mapped. The second key recommendation that emerged from these engagements was for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder mine dust engagement forum specifically for the West Rand region. Such an engagement forum could be designed to address many of the challenges and requirements identified in the workshop by serving to (i) Improve transparency of information and build trust between key stakeholder groups, (ii) facilitate the collective development of solutions to effectively mitigate the risks associated with TSFs and dust emissions, (iii) inform and guide effective government policies and regulations, and dust management programmes, (iv) Identify areas of concern and addtional dust monitoring and measurement requirements; (v) create an enhanced awareness in the public domain of the health risks associated with mine dust. • Finally, it is recognised that evidence-based policy and practical interventions need to be based on a consolidated programme of research which spans across the disciplines, and considers the different perspectives, priorities, and issues. In developing these policies and solutions, there is a need to understand and to map adequately, amongst all the interested and affected parties, the consequences of the past, the consequences of the new, as well as the consequences that are associated with the trajectory of mining. Another key objective of this network is to expand the networks sphere of influence, by increasing the network membership and connecting with other relevant networks, with initial focus on Southern African countries. In this regard, a number of professionals and organisations with specific interest and expertise in the area of mine dust have been identified, and engaged with, over the past 3-4 years, and a number of observations regarding network building in the area of mine dust have been made: • Partnerships with community-support organisations, such as the Extractives and Health Group (EHG) of the Regional Network on Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa (EQUINET), Bench Marks Foundation, and the Federation of a Sustainable Environment, as well as NPOs, such as the Saldanha Bay Clean Air Association are key. This is because these organisations already have an extensive network of members, providing contact with key stakeholders both within the community and industry. Many of these organisations are also able to provide key insights on local conditions, experiences and perspectives. • There are a number of logistic and socio-cultural difficulties in involving the more economically disadvantaged, and often the most severely impacted, members of the community in open forum events and workshops. In most cases, community-support organisations provide the "voice" of the most disadvantaged community members at these events. More in-depth engagement with such communities requires dedicated community-outreach activities, often with the assistance of community-support organisations. Where possible it is also beneficial to make sure that at least one or more of the outreach team are fluent in the local language and familiar with the local cultures. Such engagement is considered necessary to obtain buy-in from the communities, provide a space for them to personally voice their grievances and experiences, and to be able to communicate to them the findings and activities of the Network in lay-terms. It is also critically important that any network activities seeking participation and input from marginalised communities are held at venues that are both easily accessible and familiar to these communities (such as community halls, churches, schools etc. located within the community). • Whilst industry and government have expressed an interest in the Network, it has been difficult to get them to become actively involved and to participate in open forum events and workshops. This is mainly due to the fact that mine dust is a potentially sensitive and controversial issue which carries significant reputational and liability risks. A viable alternative is to collaborate with national bodies such as the Mineral Council of South Africa, which represents the local industry sector but still enjoys some independence, and the National Institute of Occupational Health, which is supported by the South African Department of Health. Consultancy organisations are also a key source of information and expertise, as they are actively involved with the industry and have extensive knowledge of the industry operations, challenges and initiatives. Post-graduate student projects provide a potentially viable platform for establishing direct relationships with industry and government. • In cases where productive partnerships have been established with local governments, such as the Saldanha Bay Municipality and the Western Cape Government Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, these have been found to be invaluable to the Network. This is because local government are able to provide extensive local knowledge on the socio-political climate, socio-geographical situations, socio-economic development, as well as the regulatory and policy framework. There is also already evidence that the impact of the Network is likely to be much higher in areas where there is good collaboration and cooperation with local government. • The complex and inter-related issues relating to the environmental emissions of mine dust require a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach. This includes participants with expertise in environmental, geographical, engineering, health and social sciences, as well as law. The case study in Saldanha Bay has also shown the important role that information and computer scientists can play in terms of enhancing communication and engagement with local communities, whilst discussion with affected communities have also emphasised the need to engage with developmental economists on the cost of lost economic opportunities due to excessive dust pollution within certain communities. The Network has also noted that capacity and knowledge on mine dust in many of the Southern African countries is currently relatively limited, emphasising the need for institutional capacity building in countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique. • Finally, there is clearly a need for a neutral and "safe" space for all stakeholders to engage on the potentially contentious issue of dust and its impacts in a constructive manner, and to have a non-partial organisation involved in data collection and distribution. This is particularly important considering the trust deficits between the mining industry, government and communities in Southern African countries. Whilst significant in-roads have been made in bringing together different sectors within the past three years, it is clear that such endeavours take time and that active collaboration and cooperation between different actors can best be established through problem-centric or geographically-bounded case studies. The focus on two strategic case studies towards the end of 2021 has facilitated the formation of working groups or communities of practice with diverse backgrounds but shared and targeted objectives and goals. The establishment of such groups has led to the development and implementation of ground-level initiatives to address some of the challenges identified within the specific areas of study. An example is the practicum that has been established in 2022, for the development of a citizen science tool for improved dust monitoring and reporting, involving members with backgrounds in social sciences, geographical sciences and public health and information systems. |
| Exploitation Route | The preliminary findings emerging from the workshop are designed to inform various stakeholder "communities" and sectors of the concerns and challenges currently associated with mine dust in the context of health, and to provide ideas on the potential alternatives available to them in terms of impact mitigation. Such information will be of specific interest and relevance to (i) researchers and experts in a number of fields including public heath, data management, air quality/pollution, mine rehabilitation, social justice, law etc (ii) local and national governments, including regulators and policy makers, (iii) mining industry and industry consultants, (iv) impacted communities and community support organisations, and (v) public health practitioners. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Environment,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice,Other |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | In terms of social impact, the overarching goal of the GCRF Mine Dust & Health network is to improve the quality of life, health and environment of communities impacted by mine dust, though raising stakeholder awareness, working with governments and industry to address pollution through the establishment of dust monitoring programmes and meaningful policies and regulations, and informing research directions to mitigate effects. This is of particular relevance to mining-intensive developing countries within Africa, Asia and South America where mining and the transport of mined materials frequently occurs in close proximity to human settlements and in fact often serves as a catalyst for the development of both formal and informal human settlements. It was originally intended to focus on all mining-intensive ODA countries within Southern Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique. However, due to travel restrictions associated with the COVID pandemic, coupled with a lack of capacity and knowledge on mine dust in many of the Southern African countries, initial focus has been on case studies within South Africa. The intention is to eventually expand the learnings to other Southern African countries with a view to building the necessary capacity. Apart from the direct social impact, the network is also expected to have indirect economic impacts, by reducing the cost burden of disease which is frequently borne by the public sector health and social security systems, and by also preventing disability and loss of employment opportunities which further entrench poverty and underdevelopment in mining communities. Apart from the local, national and regional impacts, this network, in focusing on health effects of mining activities, directly addresses SDG 3(Good Health and Well-Being), with links to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Many of the perceived outcomes of this network are unlikely to be fully realised in the short-medium term and will require a sustained effort over the long-term (10+ years) for maximum impact. However, the following progress towards achieving the desired outcomes of this Network since its conception in August 2019 is noted: • Significant progress has been made in terms of engaging with different advocacy groups active in a number of Southern African Countries (including the Saldanha Bay Clean Association in South Africa, the Regional Network on Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa, EQUINET, the Federation for a Sustainable Environment, and the Bench Marks Foundation), professional bodies (e.g. the National Association of Air Quality in South Africa, the Minerals Council of South Africa, the Saldanha Bay Clean Air Association, The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD)), in collaboration with the Zambian Ministry of Health), and government organisations and state-owned enterprises (e.g. the Saldanha Bay Municipality, Western Cape Government Department of Environmental Affairs, Transnet National Ports Authority, and the Zambian Ministry of Health). • Progress has also been made in terms of broadening the participation of different sectors in open forum discussions and in engaging local communities. The open forums held in Saldanha Bay was attended by key representatives from academia, local businesses, Transnet (the government-owned rail transport organisation) and the local and district government and was followed up by further outreach to those communities that were identified as not being well-represented at this forum. The Network has also collaborated with the Federation for a Sustainable Environment in the organisation of an open forum event on the 28th and 29th March on the issue of mine dust and tailings which was similarly attended by representatives from academia, the mining industry, local and national government, consultancies and NGOs. • To date, the network membership list has grown to 140+ members (representing industry, academia, national and local government, community support and advocacy groups and public health) across 5 ODA countries (South Africa, Brazil, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia), and 3 non-ODA countries (Australia, Germany and United Kingdom). • The network has also fostered a number of capacity development and knowledge-generating activities, the direct short-term impacts of which are difficult to measure in the short-term. These include a number of student research projects, involving co-supervision of network members, a series of undergraduate lectures on mine dust impacts, with participation from external stakeholders from the network, and training of practitioners and post-graduate researchers on the health effects of mine dust and diagnosis and reporting of occupational health diseases. In a collaborative initiative between the GCRF Mine Dust and Health network and the Belmont Forum OceansPACT (Oceans Sustainability Pathways for Achieving Conflict Transformation), involving researchers from UCT's Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, the Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research and the School of Information Technology, a practicum in public health has been established in the Saldanha Bay municipality to develop a citizen science tool for collecting data from the community on incidences of dust exposure. This data will complement the distribution data already collected from dust monitoring efforts in the area. • There is also increasing evidence that the network, through its engagement and activities, has started to have a direct impact on policy and practice. For instance, in 2022 members of the network were invited by the by the National Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment to comment on the draft National Dust Control Regulations for South Africa. Dr Johanna von Holdt, the manager of the network has been appointed as a Director on the board of the Saldanha Bay Clean Air Association, to specifically advise on air quality monitoring in the area. Dr Johanna von Holdt was also appointed as an expert advisor to evaluate the tenders for implementation of dust control systems on behalf of the Transnet National Ports Authority in South Africa, whilst the core management team has been requested to present to the board of this state-owned entity on our findings and recommendations in relation to ore-dust emissions in the port at the end of March 2023. The management team have also been invited to give plenary lectures on the network and its activities at a number of national and international conferences, including the annual conference of the National Association of Clean Air and the international GeoCongress 2023 conference. At the invitation of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), Associate Professor Shahieda Adams, the co-Director of the network, has participated in the training of medical doctors and radiologists on the diagnose occupational lung diseases in Malawi, Lesotho and Zambia during the course of 2021 and 2022. The intervention is designed to improve the quality and availability of occupational health human resources in the region. • The network has also made significant progress in terms of bringing together diverse actors to contribute to the development of integrated solutions to mine dust-related challenges, one of the targeted outcomes of the network, and a essential component of the overarching aim to find solutions to mine dust for healthier communities. For instance, network members with backgrounds in social sciences, geographical sciences and public health and information systems, have teamed together to establish a citizen science tool for improved dust monitoring and reporting, involving members. In 2022, a number of members from various academic disciplines (law, engineering, environmental and geographical sciences, geology, economics, humanities), government and civil society teamed together to develop a proposal for a transdisciplinary "Grand Challenges" funding bid. Although this bid only reached the final round, it has provided the building block for a subsequent Wellcome funding grant, to be submitted in 2023. The management team recognises that demographic change, particularly in developing countries, is necessary as a corrective action in respect of past injustices, and that diversity is critical to achieve the aims and maximise the effectivity of the network. To this end, the management is committed to the goal of non-racialism and gender equity and is maintaining a record of member demographics and affiliations at all levels of activity, to identify and address any observed imbalances in representation, in terms of gender, race as well as sector and discipline. The e-wisely Exceptional Women in Sustainability (e-Wisely) Award 2021 conferred upon the Director of the Network, Jennifer Broadhurst, by the Women Sustainability Forum, bears further testimony to the commitment by the Network management team to promoting gender equality within the African mining sector. The following quantitative data is noted: • Currently the core management team (director, co-director and manager) are all female, with the nine steering group members comprising 4 females (44%) females and 3 different ethnic groups. Of the 136 network members, 53 (39%) are female. • To further promote gender equity in this traditionally male-dominated area, 4 out of 5 of the appointed network theme leaders are currently female. • Over the past year, 8 of the 14 invited guest and panel speakers and panellists were female i.e., 57%. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Environment,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice,Transport,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) training of doctors and radiologists |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Improved capacity and ability to recognize and diagnose occupational lung disease caused by mineral dust exposure using an internationally recognized system of classification and reporting; improved health outcomes with early detection; reporting and management of occupational lung disease. |
| Description | Expert input to Draft National Dust Regulations |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The new regulations are aimed at improving regulation and management of dust emissions from industry, particularly mining. |
| URL | https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/36974rg10045gon827.pdf |
| Description | Lectures and training for postgraduate students |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Training of a number of postgraduates through project supervision and lectures have given them insight into some of the problems we face relevant to the issues around mine dust. In addition, it has also given them a new skillset and different perspectives to take into the workforce. |
| Description | NEPAD-AUDA Training of Doctor from Malawi in ILO classification for radiological diagnosis and reporting of occupational lung disease using the International Labour Organization Classification )ILO) |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | Improved capacity and ability to recognize and diagnose occupational lung disease caused by mineral dust exposure using an internationally recognized system of classification and reporting ; Improved health outcomes with early detection, reporting and management of occupational lung disease |
| Description | Teaching of Postgraduate students on Health impacts of Mine dust |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The teaching in the Postgraduate diploma of Occupational Health assists with building skills and capacity for recognition and diagnosis of health impacts linked to mineral dust exposure . It benefits countries in Africa as very limited training programmes ./ opportunities are on offer in this field to African doctors. |
| Description | National Research Foundation |
| Amount | R180,000 (ZAR) |
| Organisation | South African National Research Foundation (NRF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | South Africa |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | National Research Foundation |
| Amount | R360,000 (ZAR) |
| Organisation | South African National Research Foundation (NRF) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | South Africa |
| Start | 01/2019 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | OceansPACT |
| Amount | R50,000 (ZAR) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Department | Belmont Forum |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Global |
| Start | 01/2021 |
| End | 12/2023 |
| Description | University of Cape Town Research Commitee Research Block Grant |
| Amount | R60,000 (ZAR) |
| Organisation | University of Cape Town |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | South Africa |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 12/2020 |
| Description | Equinet Africa |
| Organisation | The Regional Network on Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa |
| Country | Zimbabwe |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Contribution is largely in terms of knowledge and information, and associated resources. Such knowledge is to be imparted through attendance and active participation at working groups, such as the Regional Meeting of the Extractives and Health Group on 1-2 February 2020, by the project director (Associate Professor Broadhurst) and Deputy Director (Associate Professor Shahieda Adams), who gave a presentation on the visible and hidden health risks of mining. Following our input at a conference arranged by Equinet on Health impacts of mining, Associate Professor Adams was requested to review the report " Public health and mining in East and Southern African countries: A desk review of the evidence" to evaluate whether it met the terms of reference and was structured in a logical and informative fashion to address the important public health impact of mining. The report dealt with the different mining commodities and associated health effects. It also sought to provide an overview of hazardous exposures related to mining such as biologicals, chemical, ergonomic and psychosocial risks. In reviewing the report , rigorous attention to detail and scholarly standards were applied whilst not compromising on readability and clarity of communication. The overall impression was that the report needed extensive reworking with a more structured organization of the information and consistent style of communication. Important areas that were neglected were also pointed out. The review was well-received. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Extractives and Health Group of EQUINET and its members serve as an advocacy group in the area of social justice in health associated with the extractives sector within Eastern and Southern Africa. Main activities and contributions relate to the gathering, sharing and communication of knowledge and information, and the coordination and promotion of activities to address observed injustices. This collaboration has enabled new perspectives and activities pertaining to mine dust across a wider range of stakeholders and countries. |
| Impact | A report on the regional meeting of the Extractives and Health Group held on 1-2 February 2020 has been issued, outlining the objectives, contributions and outputs of the working group meeting. The discussion report: " Public health and mining in East and Southern African countries: A desk review of the evidence" that was reviewed is available on-line: https://www.equinetafrica.org/bibliography/equinet-discussion-papers |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Equinet Africa |
| Organisation | The Regional Network on Equity in Health in East and Southern Africa |
| Country | Zimbabwe |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Contribution is largely in terms of knowledge and information, and associated resources. Such knowledge is to be imparted through attendance and active participation at working groups, such as the Regional Meeting of the Extractives and Health Group on 1-2 February 2020, by the project director (Associate Professor Broadhurst) and Deputy Director (Associate Professor Shahieda Adams), who gave a presentation on the visible and hidden health risks of mining. Following our input at a conference arranged by Equinet on Health impacts of mining, Associate Professor Adams was requested to review the report " Public health and mining in East and Southern African countries: A desk review of the evidence" to evaluate whether it met the terms of reference and was structured in a logical and informative fashion to address the important public health impact of mining. The report dealt with the different mining commodities and associated health effects. It also sought to provide an overview of hazardous exposures related to mining such as biologicals, chemical, ergonomic and psychosocial risks. In reviewing the report , rigorous attention to detail and scholarly standards were applied whilst not compromising on readability and clarity of communication. The overall impression was that the report needed extensive reworking with a more structured organization of the information and consistent style of communication. Important areas that were neglected were also pointed out. The review was well-received. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Extractives and Health Group of EQUINET and its members serve as an advocacy group in the area of social justice in health associated with the extractives sector within Eastern and Southern Africa. Main activities and contributions relate to the gathering, sharing and communication of knowledge and information, and the coordination and promotion of activities to address observed injustices. This collaboration has enabled new perspectives and activities pertaining to mine dust across a wider range of stakeholders and countries. |
| Impact | A report on the regional meeting of the Extractives and Health Group held on 1-2 February 2020 has been issued, outlining the objectives, contributions and outputs of the working group meeting. The discussion report: " Public health and mining in East and Southern African countries: A desk review of the evidence" that was reviewed is available on-line: https://www.equinetafrica.org/bibliography/equinet-discussion-papers |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | NEPAD/ AU Training in ILO reading of chest radiographs used in assessment of mineworkers with occupational lung disease |
| Organisation | African Union Development Agency |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Training provided in ILO methodology of assessing chest radiographs to doctors in Kitwe, Zambia over 4 days. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The request for trainign came via AUDA/NEPAD/ AU. Through partnership with a chest radiologist we developed and delivered a training programme to instruct doctors in ILO methodoloy. This is a standardized (ILO endorsed) method of reading x-rays of workers with occupational lung disease. The training was done at the occupational Health Centre of excellence in Kitwe, Zimbabwe, an area known as the Copper belt because of the profusion of mining activities. The course was attended by doctors and radiologists involved in the care of mineworkers from different parts of Zambia. It was well-received. See excerpt from AUDA/NEPAD Annual report for 2020 "Africa Health Strategy (AHS); AU Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB and Malaria by 2030 Through a collaborative initiative, AUDANEPAD in partnership with ECSA-HC and World Bank supports the Southern Africa region to respond to TB and occupational lung diseases among miners, ex-miners and mining communities. In the period under review, a total of 26 medical doctors and radiologists were trained in the diagnosis of occupational lung diseases in South Africa and Zambia. In addition, Lesotho and Zambia have embarked on rolling-out the national occupational health and safety information systems. Integrated Vector Management" |
| Impact | There is potential for further training initiatives as we were approached by an occupational health doctor and a previous student who did our Diploma in Occupational Health to do a similar training in Zambia . However, the pandemic has precluded travelling at this stage. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | National Association of Clean Air (NACA) |
| Organisation | National Association for Clean Air |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The network provides input into NACA activities and was the major sponsor for the annual conference held In Oct 2019. |
| Collaborator Contribution | NACA invites the network to participate in their events, allowing the network influence to grow. |
| Impact | New members have signed up as a result of the exposure we have received from NACA. Students and emerging researchers were sponsored to attend the conference and this provided the opportunity for extensive engagement between experts and students and researchers. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Saldanha Bay Municipality Air Quality |
| Organisation | Saldanha Bay Municipality |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Saldanha Bay is one of our case study sites for community engagement and we have given talks to interested parties and spoken to many community members about the challenges they face. We also have research projects on the go in this area based on our interactions within the network. We have been able to continue some of the projects over the last year but have not been able to do some of the larger community engagement activities we had planned in this area. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The municipality has been a very active member of our network and have provided valuable input into our knowledge sharing at network events. In addition, they have also been very open to giving us access to the area and providing a gateway into the community to carry out network activities and projects. |
| Impact | Student research projects and presentations to community |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Tshiamiso Trust appointment as member of certification committee |
| Organisation | Tshiamiso Trust |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Presentation on : Capacity and services at UCT/GSH for serving needs of mineworkers at Tshiamiso Trust Workshop Participation in SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF MEDICAL SERVICE DELIVERY WORKSHOP for Tshiamiso Trust June 2020 Invited to be a member of certification committee for assessment of occupational lung diseases for Tshiamiso Trust 2020 Clinic assistant Mr. Tebelo Mokoena invited to attend the Tshiamiso Trust Trust Deed training on 22 February 2021 on behalf of our clinic at GSH |
| Collaborator Contribution | As a member of the Certification Committee for Tshiamiso Trust we will be centrally involved in contributing our expertise to the assessment and diagnosis of occupational lung disease in mineworkers ' The clinic is also ideally situated to facilitate access to the Trust for eligible mineworkers who may compensated for occupational lung disease |
| Impact | Participation in SUSTAINABLE MODELS OF MEDICAL SERVICE DELIVERY WORKSHOP for Tshiamiso Trust June 2020 - The trust is in process of starting service delivery and opening for submission of claims from ex-mineworkers Invited to be a member of certification committee for assessment of occupational lung diseases for Tshiamiso Trust 2020 - Still awaiting the process to start Clinic assistant Mr. Tebelo Mokoena invited to attend the Tshiamiso Trust Trust Deed training on 22 February 2021 on behalf of our clinic at GSH - Clinci assistant trained in logistic issues around claim |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Univeristy of Stellenbosch |
| Organisation | University of Stellenbosch |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaboration on research ideas, funding proposals and technical sessions |
| Collaborator Contribution | As above. Examination of research dissertations |
| Impact | Research proposal for funding and collaboration between researchers and students. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | University of Oxford |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Johanna von Holdt is a convener in the session on Anthropogenic dust for the International Conference on Aeolian Research to be held in July in Namibia. Prof Wiggs is the organiser of the conference.The network is providing sponsorship to the conference and for students and researchers to attend the conference. Students and members went through an application process which was concluded at the end of February. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof Wiggs is a member of the steering committee and also the organiser of ICAR in July. He has made the network part of the conference by providing Johanna with valuable convening experience, accepting sponsorship with the aim to promote the network and its activities. |
| Impact | Johanna forms part of an international team of scientists who are convening a session and have reviewed all relevant abstracts. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | University of Zambia School of Mines |
| Organisation | University of Zambia |
| Country | Zambia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Through the GCRF network, researchers and students at UNZA are exposed to multi-disciplinary and sectoral perspectives on mine dust. Support of students and emerging researchers from UNZA is provided by the GCRF Mine Dust & Health network in the form of financial assistance to enable attendance of GCRF network meetings and in the form mentorship to support research activities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Jewette Masinja of the University of Zambia School of Mines is part of the GCRF steering committee, and brings a range of perspectives on the pollution impacts, management and governance of mine dust to this network. He is also in a strong position to help to expand the network, to provide student mentoring, and to participate in further collaborative funding applications and programmes |
| Impact | UNZA delegates participated in the GCRF Mine Dust & Health workshop, held in Cape Town in September 2019, the outcomes of which have been published on the network website. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Western Cape Government Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning |
| Organisation | Western Cape Government |
| Country | South Africa |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Our team has worked closely with WCG DEAD&P in devising projects (including student projects) to assist them with some of the areas where they need assistance. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Western Cape Government DEAD&P has been an important part of our network membership and providing important input from provincial government. In addition, through their involvement we have been able to reach a larger audience by marketing our network through their channels. |
| Impact | Student projects based on problems faced by the provincial government, including an Infographic competition to education the public about some of the most pertinent issues. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Collaborative workshop on the impact of mine dust and water pollution on the children in Snakepark. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network co-hosted a workshop with the The Bench Marks Foundation along with the Snake Park Cerebral Palsy Forum with the aim of forming a comprehensive interdisciplinary research team and project to address the linkages between severe neurological problems amongst children in the Snake Park community and the mine tailings. The aim of this wokshop was to form a comprehensive interdisciplinary research team and project to address this issue. Discussions outlined the R&D needs and identified a number of key experts who could participate in a collaborative thrust. A way froward was mapped out. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Grand Challenges proposal preparation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Network members representing academia, policy-makers, industry and practitioners held a workshop to compile a research proposal for the interdisciplinary Grand Challenges grant at the University of Cape Town. The proposal was titled: Understanding and Mitigating the Societal Impacts of Air Pollution in Mineral-rich Countries. This application was short-listed and presented to a selection committee. The abstract is presented below. Air pollution has significant health and environmental consequences worldwide, with many pollution sources linked to manufacturing and power generation. The extraction, transportation and downstream utilisation of mineral resources has significant impacts on air quality, particularly in resource rich developing countries, such as those in southern Africa (i.e., South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique). Mining-host and mining-affected communities are potentially exposed to increased air pollution resulting in more severe health outcomes due to the dispersion of particulate matter and gaseous emissions from mining operations and associated downstream activities. The impact on natural ecosystems can also be significant with soils, vegetation (including crops) and water resources negatively affected by emissions resulting in further indirect effects on communities. The extensive semi-arid to arid regions of southern Africa exacerbates particulate emissions and makes this region particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change which may increase dust emission from drier mining operations and natural surfaces. Mining and associated activities can also have significant consequences for the well-being and socio-economic development of communities, often thousands of kms from the actual mine site. The diverse impacts of atmospheric emissions from mining and related industries are generally not well quantified and understood and this requires an inter-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach due to the complexities involved. Our aim is to improve the socio-economic well-being, health, and environment of mining-affected communities. Achieving this aim necessitates investigations of the health and environmental effects, mitigation and rehabilitation, the influence of governance and legislation, the way we monitor and measure air pollution, the impact of emissions on socio-economic development and climate change considerations. This project will build on the work started by the GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network comprising researchers from several departments at UCT and beyond (www.minedust.org). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://uct.ac.za/research-support-hub/uct-vision-2030-grand-challenges-programmes-and-pilot-project... |
| Description | ILO PLANNING SESSION: TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND DISEASES (TCOID) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The workshop was aimed at involving the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to assist in finding a standardised manner for reporting occupational injuries and diseases, both for the Compensation Fund and its licensed Mutuals (RMA and FEM). This was on account of the reporting on occupational injuries and diseases amongst the three institutions being non standardised. Standardized reporting has the ability to enhance estimates of the prevalence and extent of occupational disease burden and arrive at a common understanding of health impacts linked to occupational exposures . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Local press interview on GCRF Mine Dust & Health network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | The network management team, comprising Associate Professors Jennifer Broadhurst (Director) and Shahieda Adams (Co-Director) and Dr Johanna von Holdt (Manager) held a press interview with UCT News, resulting in the release of an article titled "UCT to lead network on tackling mine dust" on 22 April 2020. This article outlined the vision and objectives of the network. This article also appeared in the University of Cape Town annual publication: Research and Innovation Highlights, 2019-20. This publication is used to communicate the university's research and innovation activities with the broader academic community both nationally and internationally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2020-04-22-uct-to-lead-network-on-tackling-mine-dust |
| Description | Meeting of the Extractives and Health Group (EHG) of the Regional Network in East and Southern Africa (EQUINET) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The EQUINET workshop on health literacy for the mining and extractive sector involved trade unions, ex-mineworkers, health and economic justice civil society organisations and academics representing Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Lesotho and Eswatini. The objectives of this meeting were to consolidate the Extractives and Health Group for an alliance on follow-up actions and shared priorities. More specifically this meeting set out to: • Share information on mining and health in the region in terms of the risks, responses, rights and actions • Review activities on health literacy in mining and use of the EQUINET health literacy module on Mining and health • Review the work of the mining and health working group and its members in various platforms and proposed work on extractives and health equity in the region and identify priorities, alliances, actions and roles for follow up • Identify issues to take forward in the Alternative Mining Indaba and other regional platforms |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.equinetafrica.org/content/meetings |
| Description | National Clean Air Association (NACA) conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The network provided funding for this conference held in Stellenbosch from 3 -4 October, as well as sponsoring 2 members and 4 students to attend this conference. The Director of the network presented the network and its objectives to the delegates with a talk entitled "GCRF Mine dust and Health Network: a collaborative, inter-disciplinary think-tank". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.naca.org.za/conference.php |
| Description | Network inaugural meeting and open forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our annual GCRF Mine Dust and Health Workshop was held from 11 to 12 September 2019 and attracted more than 40 participants from various sectors, including academia, industry, government and civil society. This event started with presentations from experts on the status quo of mine dust and then moved into a facilitated discussion on identifying the main research themes and the main challenges that should be tackled first. Day two involved working group discussions along the main themes identified previously. Some important outcomes of the working group sessions were the identification of research projects, funding sources and individuals that want to be involved in formulating proposals around these projects. Presentations included: 1. MINE DUST AS A HUMAN RIGHT'S ISSUE IN THE EMERGING FRAME OF THE INTERNATIONAL RIGHT TO ENVIRONMENT - Prof Tracy-Lynn Humby, Professor of Law and Consultant, The University of the Witwatersrand 2. LIVING IN A HAZE: MINE DUST AND HEALTH - Dr Shahieda Adams, Co-director of the Dust Network and physician at Groote Schuur (UCT), as well as a senior lecturer in Occupational Health Physician 3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: TOWARDS SOCIAL AND EPISTEMIC JUSTICE - Prof Helen McDonald: Anthropology Dep (UCT) 4. DUST MANAGEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA: REGULATOR'S - Olebogeng Matshediso: The Deputy Director for Atmospheric Policy, Norms and Standards, Department of Environmental Affairs 5. INSIGHT INTO THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INHALABLE DUST IN RELATION TO RESPIRATORY STRESS - CK Kamanzi, UCT PhD student, UCT 6. REGULATORY MODELLING OF MINE DUST IN SOUTH AFRICA - Roelof Burger - North West University, Senior Lecturer, Unit for Environmental Science and Management, and part of the Climatology Research Group 7. ATMOSPHERIC DUST EMISSIONS FROM SURFACE MINING: PRIORITISING MONITORING STRATEGIES FOR COMPLIANCE AND MANAGEMENT - Matthew Ojelede - Digby Wells Environmental Consultancy - Air quality specialist 8. WORKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE AMBIENT AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT FROM PIT TO PORT IN KWAZULU NATAL - DEVELOPING FRAMEWORK FOR AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR THE PORTS. - Litha Dalindyebo - Transnet - Senior manager for risk department at Transnet port terminals, and does resreach for air quality for Transnet - PhD Canidtate UKZN |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/gcrf2019/ |
| Description | Network steering committee funding strategy meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Meeting of core steering committee members from UK and South Africa to discuss future directions and funding opportunities. A proposal for a Wellcome research grant was scoped out. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | On line webinar on the Tshiamiso Trust: Origins, mandate, uncertainties, ethical concerns and food for thought |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The presentation introduced and provided an overview of the work of the Tshiamiso Trust and the reasons for its establishment. The Trust aims to compensate eligible miners who contracted silicosis and tuberculosis in the course of their work at mines owned by the companies who are party to the Trust deed and settlement agreement. The presentation included an overview of similar Trusts that have been established to date, the problems that these Trusts have encountered, and reflects on the place of Trusts in South African mining. This is an environment in which systems of compensation have long been established, and in which health risks have been specifically regulated since 1996. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | On line webinar: Hazard Identification and Exposure Assessment of Dust Emissions from South African Gold Mine Tailings Sites |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Charlene Andraos presented on the results of study on community exposure to, and potential health risks of, dust from gold TSFs by the Toxicology and Biochemistry Department of the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH). These findings are of direct relevance to the case study on mine dust impacts from gold TSFs in the West Wits region. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | On-line webinar on mitigating long-term dust risks from tailings storage facilities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | For this free webinar, the Global Challenges Research Fund Mine Dust & Health Network team joined forces with their hosts Minerals to Metals and the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, to explore options for mitigating long-term dust risks from tailings storage facilities, through the development and transfer of innovative technologies for the repurposing of mine dust tailings. Presentations by invited speakers, Associate Professor Dyllon Randall and Ms Helene-Marie Stander, were followed by a very interactive Q&A session involving the hosts and the more than 60 attendees from South Africa and Australia, who mostly represented industry and academia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/24-February-speaker-information.pdf |
| Description | On-line webinar on the MOSH dust leading practices as critical controls in the South African mining industry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A presentation was given by Mr Sibusiso Masanabo, Principal Adoption Specialist for Dust within the MOSH (Mining Industry Occupational Safety and Health) learning Hub of the Minerals Council South Africa, on the MOSH Leading Practice Adoption System. This is a process used by the MOSH Learning Hub to identify, document and promote widespread adoption of dust leading practices across the South African Mining Industry. The presentation highlighted key mitigation steps that have been taken by the local mining industry to reduce occupational diseases due to dust emissions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | On-line webinar on the escalation of Black Lung in the U.S. and a systematic approach for controlling respirable dust |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Jay Colinet from the National Institute of Occupational Safety And Health in the USA, provided an overview of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) impact in the USA and the proposed systematic approach for controlling respirable dust in coal mines. The talk was well attended by occupational and public health experts, and was followed by a vigorous technical discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | On-line webinar on the role of NGOs in promoting corporate social responsibility in the context of mining |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This free webinar provided insights by Mr Brown Motsau, programme manager of one of the most prominent civil society organisations in South Africa, of the key role that such organisations play in supporting mining-impacted communities by holding industry and regulators to account, and in establishing citizen-based monitoring programmes. The presentation and subsequent discussions highlighted the impacts of mine dust on economically disadvantaged communities in the West Wits and Far West Wits goldfields. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | Participation and presentation at Tshiamiso Trust Workshop on Sustainable Models of Medical Service Delivery for Mineworkers in Southern Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was part of a panel discussion to address : What systems for medical service delivery are available in southern Africa and which can contribute to Tshiamiso Trust Deed medical requirements to provide services to mineworkers with occupational lung disease and facilitate compensation. It was a full-day workshop addressed by government, industry and occupational medicine experts as well as members of the Tshiamiso Trust. The following organizations were represented at the forum: Medical Bureau of occupational Diseases MBOD); Groote Schuur Occupational medicine Clinic; UCT and UKZN Divisions of Occupational medicine National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH); Mining medical practitioners Association (MMPA); South African Society of Occupational Nurses (SASOHN); South African Society of Occupational Medicine ( SASOM), African Development Agency AUDA-NEPAD, TEBA, TB in mining sector (TIMS), AURUM,Asbestors Relief Trust (ART), Qhubeka Trust (QT), Representatives from Mozambique/Lesotho |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.tshiamisotrust.com/resources/medical-workshop/ |
| Description | Participation in Eastern Cape Sub-Database & Access to Health Records Workshop - 25th & 26th November 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The workshop was held in East London and focused on discussing the challenges of tracking of mineworkers certified with occupational lung disease due to mineral dust exposure. The workshop was attended by a diverse grouping of stakeholders from worker representatives (ex-mineworkers association) , academics ( Universities of Cape Town, Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela), Eastern Cape Department of Health (Head of department and officials), Political head ( MEC for Health in the province) and Compensation authorities and Trusts ( Qhubeka trust and Medical Bureau for occupational diseases) . Health practitioners from the mining sector and private sector and representatives from civic organizations were also present. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Participation in the Technical Committee workshop on occupational disease policy review ( inclusive of occupational lung disease) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A broad spectrum of Compensation authorities as well as representatives from government (Depart of employment and Labour) and academia (UCT) met to discuss and refine policies on occupational disease assessment, reporting and compensation. This is aimed at improving the assessment of impairment linked to occupational diseases and aligning it with international standards and best practice ( American Medical Association Guides to impairment) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Presentation to Sodertorn University on mine dust work as part of collaboration with OceansPACT project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The GCRF Mine dust and Health Network and OceanPACT Belmont Forum funded project is collaborating on some of the issues facing the Blue Economy and the case study of Saldanha Bay as a result of the conflict arising from mine dust. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Saldanha Bay Community Engagement March 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The community engagement in Saldanha Bay is one of the major events organised by the network. Several smaller events and interactions have given rise to the major event hosting all Interested and Affected Parties (IAPs) held on 10 and 11 March. Various groups within the community and industry which have not been able to work together or have constructive dialogue attended and agreed to work on finding solutions together. A multi-disciplinary team of researchers were present to engage on various aspects of the case study. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Saldanha Bay community consultation Nov 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Focus group discussions were held with community members in Saldanha Bay to obtain information to inform the development of a citizen science tool for monitoring and reporting of dust emissions. Specific objectives of the engagement activity included to: 1. Identify the major threats to air quality and environmental health and the main sources of air pollution in the Saldanha Bay locality. 2. Identify existing tools or initiatives available for monitoring and environmental reporting, their uses, successes, and/or limitations. 3. Explore the extent to which environmental monitoring mechanisms may be extended to incorporate community-based environmental reporting through the application of citizen science/public participation. The findings from this workshop were supported by an on-line survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FFNFWY9) as well as virtual interviews conducted as part of a practicum. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FFNFWY9 |
| Description | Saldanha Bay community information session Dec 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | a meeting was held with Saldanha Bay community members to provide feedback on results from the previous focus group meeting, virtual interviews and on-line survey. Discussions were held to co-develop a roadmap for the way forward in terms of the development of the citizen science tool for dust monitoring and reporting in the Saldanha Bay port. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Technical on-line session with network members and NACA delegates |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network technical session, held under the topic "Mine Dust: Recent developments and future trends", was convened virtually on Tuesday, 17 November 2020 at the South African National Association for Clean Air 2020 conference. The session, which attracted 130 people from Southern Africa, Australia, and the United Kingdom, was an interactive platform where participants and speakers engaged on the presentations given on the signature themes. The speakers and their respective themes were Mr Fanus van Wyk (Mitigation and rehabilitation), Mr Brown Motsau (Community awareness and education), Prof. Tracy-Lynn Field (Policy and law), Prof. Stuart Piketh (Monitoring and measurement) and Mr. Brian Mongoma (Exposure and health effects). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Technical-session-summary-22-Feb-2021-1.pdf |
| Description | Technical workshop at NACA 2022 annual conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Building on the recommendations emerging from our Mine Dust and Gold Tailings engagement forum in Krugersdorp, March 2022 (http://minedust.org/past-events/), this technical workshop focused on the development of a regional integrated plan for TSFs and their footprints post-reclamation, and the establishment of a mine dust multi-stakeholder forum for the West Rand Goldfields. This 3-hour technical session featured presentations from a panel of key experts, followed by an open forum discussion session, and was open for in-person and on-line attendance |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://nacaconference.co.za/technical-sessions/ |
| Description | Technical workshop on the emissions and impacts of windborne dust from gold tailings storage facilities (TSFs) in the West Rand District |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This 2 hour session included presentations by seven experts on dust-related impacts from gold tailings storage facilities, followed by an open discussion. The aim of this event was to serve as an initial meeting to bring together the experts, stakeholders and interested parties to share the knowledge and the current understanding around mine dust and gold tailings in the West Wits region. Based on this workshop, a number of key stakeholders were identified and a working group established to address future research & development requirements and impact mitigation opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/ |
| Description | Visiting researcher from University of Queensland (Nikki LaBranch) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Nikky LaBranche is an Industry Fellow at the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre (MISHC) in the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), The University of Queensland. She is currently working on her PhD Characterising the Impact of Dust on the Respiratory Health of Coal Mine Workers. Nikki was invited as a guest to the University of Cape Town for discussions about potential collaborations, a presentation to network members on the work she is doing in Australia and engagement with other postgraduate students for information sharing and capacity building. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | West Rand gold tailings workshop and site visit March 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Mine Dust Network held a two-day networking event in the West Rand with a focus on the challenges and mitigation of dust impacts associated with gold tailings storage facilities in the region. The event was attended by stakeholders from various organs of the mining industry (including NGOs, mining companies, academics and government). The aim of the tour was to explore the TSFs in the region and understand their impact on surrounding communities and the environment and devise solutions, with particular focus on dust fallout. The variety of management operations by mining companies including the Mintails Group of Companies, Harmony Gold, Gold Fields and Sibanye-Stillwater was observed via a tour facilitated by the Federation for a Sustainable Environment. The interactive workshop on the following day took the form of panel sessions covering 4 themes, namely exposure assessment, health impacts, governance issues, mitigation & rehabilitation, and community engagement, to consolidate the current understanding and knowledge, followed by round-table break-away discussions on the way forward in terms of addressing information gaps and developing evidence-based interventions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://minedust.org/west-rand/ |
| Description | Workshop at the Saldanha Bay Clean Air Association in Saldanha Bay |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The network was invited by the Saldanha Bay Clean Air Association to give a talk and take part on discussions about the challenges this area is facing due to the transport, handling and storage of mineral ore for export. The community is concerned about the state of the bay and their health as a result of current operations and future developments earmarked for this port terminal. We were invited to educate and inform the community and industry regarding the legislation and the required monitoring that is and should be done. Dr Johanna von Holdt gave a presentation. Both Johanna and Prof Broadhurst took part in discussions as part of this workshop. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |