Prosperity Unto Death: Is Zambia Ready for Uranium Mining?

Prosperity Unto Death

Executive Summary
The advent of uranium exploration/mining activities in Zambia in the early to mid 2000s has generated discussions focused in two main areas of concern, especially for the affected communities in these areas. One such concern pertained to whether or not the economic benefi ts accruing to, and the health effects related to these activities on local communities justifi ed some of the associated risks created by such activities. In an attempt to get some clear understanding of this concern, the following needed to be answered:

• Does Zambia have the technical expertise to regulate and supervise the exploitation and mining of uranium?
• Are the socioeconomic benefi ts accruing to the affected communities justifi ed, considering possible some known and unknown health risks associated with uranium exploitation and mining activities?
• What role does the rural communities that are directly affected by uranium exploitation and mining played in the decision-making processes of these mines?

It was against this background that the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) commissioned this study. The study documents outcomes of a review of policies and laws that govern the extractive industries in the mining sector in Zambia and how these policies/laws address issues of transparency, equitable distribution of benefits accruing from the extractive industries in these sectors, and management of the environment.

The main purpose of the study was to comprehensively review the uranium policy and related statutes in Zambia with respect to health issues, environmental protection, transparency, accountability and equitable distribution of benefits realized from the exploitation and mining of uranium.