EXCEED THE SPACE PROVIDED. Objectives: To improve environmental and occupational health associated with mining operations andmineral processing in sub-Saharan Africa through training, research, prevention and intervention. Background: Mining and mineral processing are major sources of revenue in manyAfrican countries. They account for 80% of foreign exports in Zambia and 45% in Zimbabwe. Mining is also one of the most dangerous professions. Potential environmental effects of mining and mineral processing include exposure to metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, and other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide. The University of Arizona (UA) has trained 46 mining and geological engineers from Zambia. Through a unique cooperative program involving the UA College of Public Health and Department of Mining and Geological Engineering, we propose to train scientists from this region to evaluate and control adverse health effects due to miningand mineral processing.
Specific aims : 1) Train African scientists in environmental and occupational health, mining engineering, industrial hygiene, and epidemiology at the masters level at the UA. 2) Provide regional training in occupational health, mine safety, mining engineering, and community evaluation. 3) Conduct in-country research including dust and metals exposure, engineering controls and personal respirators, respiratory health, genetic susceptibility, injury epidemiology and community exposure evaluation and intervention. Study design: The UA will partner with the University of Zambia and University of Zimbabwe and international and local mining operations. Scientists from these nationswill be trained at the UA, and research will be carried out in-country. Participants from surrounding nations will be invited to participate in regional training. The program focus will include occupational health in mining operations, mine safety, and environmental exposures and adverse health effects in communities surrounding these mining operations. Expected outcome: The proposed programs should improve educational and research infrastructurein sub- Saharan Africa, and health outcomes associated with mining and mineral processing. PERFORMANCE SITE ========================================Section End===========================================
| Miller, Hugh B; Sinkala, Thomson; Renger, Ralph F et al. (2006) Identifying antecedent conditions responsible for the high rate of mining injuries in Zambia. Int J Occup Environ Health 12:329-39 |
| Mulenga, Emmanuel M; Miller, Hugh B; Sinkala, Thomson et al. (2005) Silicosis and tuberculosis in Zambian miners. Int J Occup Environ Health 11:259-62 |
