PRESENCE OF URANIUM IN WATER SUPPLIED TO BARRICK LUMWANA MINE DID NOT HAVE IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH
Technology and Science Minister Felix Mutati says the findings from the laboratory analysis revealed that the activity concentration of Uranium supplied to employees at Barrack Lumwana Mining Company fell below the 100 Mili-Servient per year threshold set by the International Atomic Energy Agency Standards.
Addressing the media in Lusaka today, Mr Mutati says this means that the water supplied to the workers had no impact on the health of the workers and the environment.
Last year, Barrick Lumwana informed the Radiation Protection Authority of the elevated uranium levels in the portable water from the water treatment plant which was supplying drinking water to one of the section of the mine employees, forcing it to halt the water supply and switch to other water sources for its workers in the section.
Mr Mutati said a technical team from Radiation Protection Authority with the National Institute Of Science and Industrial Research then visited the mine in order to collect the samples for radiological risk determination.
He says going forward; the ministry will continue to undertake joint awareness exercises and routine environmental monitoring at Barrick Lumwana Mine to protect the workers, the public and the environment from any harmful effects that may arise from unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation.
PN
Anyone that knows Felixstowe Mutati would not believe him because this is simply untrue.
If the radiation level was so low, it simply means that the chances of developing the disease, especially cancer, are low. This does not mean that the radiated water has no impact on those that consumed it.
The effect could be accelerated diseases, children born with underdeveloped limbs, low immunity, etc.
This is something which this Govt should take seriously right now. Uranium is not a mineral to take casually, it kills. All measures should be taken now to minimise the effects on the people that have been drinking water with uranium.