The Impact of Informal Sand Mining at the Omatando Quarries

This research investigated the environmental impact of sand mining at the Omatando quarries in the Ongwediva constituency, Namibia. The investigation included sampling of soil and water from the study locations for laboratory analysis, administration of environmental questionnaires and conducting a plant growth survey using the soil samples. The soil sampleswere analysed for soil nutrition in terms of macronutrients and micronutrients, while the water samples were analysed for parameters such as pH and electric conductivity. The study revealed that in overall there was no direct relationship between distortion of soil and water parameters with mining activity with the exception of the presence of organic nutrients in the soil. The deficiencies in the organic nutrients were reflected in the plant indicators. In addition, it was also discovered that socio-ecological repercussions due to quarrying outweighed the chemical constraints.

Autorentext

Ronald Madziya Nyadenga - Facoltà di Ingegneria e Tecnologia dell'Informazione, Laurea in Ingegneria mineraria, Dipartimento di Ingegneria mineraria e metallurgica, Laurea in Scienze, Università della Namibia.