OCCUPATION HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE MINING INDUSTRY

Introduction

History and Background

The earliest organized prospecting and mining in Tanzania took place during the
German colonial period, beginning with gold discoveries in the Lake Victoria region in
1894. Mining began at the Sekenke Mine in 1909. After 1930, gold production was
substantial and increased steadily until World War II. By 1967, the gold industry had
declined to insignificance, only to revive after 1974-75 when the world gold price
increased greatly. Beginning in April 1990, the Bank of Tanzania began buying gold at
the world market price through commercial banks, paying miners in Tanzanian
shillings calculated at the parallel-market rate for the US dollar rather than at the official
rate. In the late 1990's, several mining companies from Canada, United Kingdom,
Australia and South Africa arrived in Tanzania, interested in gold exploration and
development. From 2000, production of gold at an industrial scale started growing,
especially from the Geita (AngloGold/Ashanti) and Bulyanhulu (Barrick) mines.  

Tanzania has become one of the fastest-emerging gold producers in Africa, and is now
the continent’s third-largest gold-producing country after South Africa and Ghana.
Annual production of gold has increased from around 43.2 t in 2002 to about 48.0 t in
2003. Based on ongoing projects and developing mines, Tanzania’s estimated gold
reserves have been calculated at a conservative total of Tanzania now has proven gold
reserves in excess of 36 Moz (1000 t). In 2003 Tanzania reported a 20% increase in gold
exports from US$414 million to US$504 million and accounted for more than 62% of
total export revenues, compared with 49% in 2002. There was a tremendous increase in
gold exports which resulted in the signing of another gold-mining contract, this time
between the Government of Tanzania and Pangea Minerals Ltd. The contract will pave
the way for mining at Tulawaka in the Biharamulo District, Kagera Region, in the Lake
Victoria goldfields. The Tulawaka mine is expected to come on stream in early 2005. It
will be the sixth large-scale gold mine to come into production in Tanzania within six
years. Each year since 1998, a new gold mine has been opened in Tanzania. The mines
are owned by Resolute Ltd; Ashanti Goldfields in joint venture with AngloGold;
Barrick Gold Corp; Placer Dome Inc; Meremeta Ltd; and Pangea Goldfields Inc in joint
venture with Miniere du Nord.

AgloGold Ashanti owns 50% of the Geita mine in Tanzania. The mine which started
production in August 2000 produced a record 661,045 oz at a cash operating cost of
US$170/oz in 2003, compared with 579,043 oz at US$163/oz in 2002. The upgrade of the
crushing and leach tank sections of the processing plant was successfully commissioned
in the first quarter of 2003 and the capacity of the plant was increased from 4 Mt/y to
5.6 Mt/y.
The Mining industry deals with the process or business regarding extraction of ore or minerals
from the earth and purifying them. Normally it involves the extraction of valuable minerals
or other geological materials from the earth, usually from an ore body, vein or (coal)
seam followed by processes that reduce the bulky of the ore and finally purifying them to
obtain a pure or marketable product metal or concentrate.

The mining industry however (mining and purification of the mineral value) can be
roughly divided into two major categories as follows;

Mining – digging out the mineral or ore from the earth which can be either open
pit or underground mining
Processing – concentrating the ore i.e. removing the bulky waste, and
purification

Thus, with respect to occupational hazards commonly referred to as trauma that are
found in the mining industry, we are going to treat this as two different but connected
industrial undertakings.

Classes of occupational hazards/traumas in the mining industry can be classified as

follows

In accordance to the causes of trauma

 Mechanical (bone fracture, body bruises cuts, etc.): Constitutes 70 – 80% of the
total volume of traumas in the industry;
 Chemical (gas poisoning, acid or alkaline burn throughout the period of one
day): Constitutes 10 – 15% of the total volume of traumas in the industry;
 Thermo (burn, heat shock, frostbite, etc.): Constitutes 5 – 6% of the total volume
of traumas in the industry; and
 Electrical (electrical shock and burn): Constitutes 4 – 5% of the total volume.

In accordance to the gravity of trauma

 Light (96 – 97%) of the total volume;
 Heavy (1 – 1.5%) of the total volume;
 Zero ended (1.5 - 2%) of the total volume.

The % of traumas with zero ended traumas is higher than that with heavy trauma due
to the higher vulnerability (easily wounded or harmed) and friability (easily break into
fragments) of the human organism, when compared to the surrounding environment.
Therefore, human beings could easily end up into serious injuries or death if they are
not provided with adequate protection from accidents (even if they are the non-
complex).

ANTICIPATION AND EVALUATION OF WORK HAZARDS IN A MINING

INDUSTRY WITH RESPECT TO GOLD MINE
Mining

In underground mining the following flow of works can be consider; this is the flow
that follows after shaft boring and sinking.

Drill → Charge → Blast → Load → Haul

From the above work flow the following hazards can be anticipated as potential to a
minor;

 Falling rocks
 Noise and vibration
 Smoke fumes and dust
 Heavy and moving equipment
 Long working hours/shift
 Limited fresh air
 Working deep down
 Fragments or Missiles and rock bust
 Hydraulic Hammer

Process plant

In a process plant that has been schematically described below (simplified flow sheet)
the following hazards can be identified;

 Noise and vibration

 Moving machine parts and Reciprocating Equipment
 Chemical and toxic effects
 Shock, burns and overheating
 Voltage
 Presence of Fuel
 Flex Hose Whipping

Rom
 GRINDING
CRUSHING
CIRCUIT
ORE STOCKPILE

FLOTATION
LEACHING DEWATERING CIRCUIT

CIP ELUTION
COLUMN

ELECTROWINNING

SMELTING

Gold bullion

Tailing dam Tailing dam