Asbestos Opponents Watch as Zimbabwe Mine Reopens
Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa – The Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) is rejoicing as the reopening of one of its large asbestos mines draws closer, but those rallying for a worldwide asbestos ban are disappointed that the massive Shabanie-Mashava Mines will soon be in operation once again.
According to several articles in the Zimbabwe press, the corporation is close to completing a feasibility study that will allow the mine to begin harvesting asbestos once again, a boon for the town in which it is located. Formerly privately owned but now managed by ZMDC on behalf of the federal government, the mine collapsed in 2008, leaving about 3,000 workers without jobs and turning the local area into a veritable ghost town.
The mine, set to open in about 90 days, was once of the largest producers of asbestos in the country, producing about 200,000 metric tonnes of the mineral every year. According to reports, the Shabanie-Mashava Mines had access to several markets around the world including the United States, Britain, Angola, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Iran, China, India, Zambia, and Indonesia.
It is believed that this particular mine is sitting on at least 20 years of reserves of raw asbestos, a factor that proponents say will help “strengthen the construction and manufacturing industries” in the country and around the world. Opponents of asbestos mining and export, however, see this as another stumbling block on the way to reaching a worldwide ban on asbestos, which causes myriad diseases when inhaled, including a serious form of cancer known as malignant mesothelioma.
Tradesmen who worked in industries that used (or still use) asbestos are at especially high risk for developing mesothelioma. Construction workers, because of the large number of construction-related products that contain asbestos, are extremely susceptible to contracting asbestos lung disorders. Those who work in the mines, despite precautions, also often die at a young age due to asbestos exposure.
Article source: http://www.mesothelioma.com/news/2012/01/asbestos-opponents-watch-as-zimbabwe-mine-reopens.htm