GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network

GCRF 矿山粉尘与健康网络

• 批准号: EP/T003588/1
• 负责人: Jennifer Broadhurst
• 金额: $ 19.03万
• 依托单位: University of Cape Town
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FT003588%2F1
• 关键词: GCRF; Mine; Dust; Health; Network

GCRF MINE DUST AND HEALTH NETWORK SUMMARYWhile the mining industry contributes significantly to the economies of developing countries around the world, mining activities have notable negative environmental and health impacts. Among these, the dust emitted by mining and its associated operations is a cause of increasing concern. Apart from impacting the health of mine-workers who breathe in mineral dust particles, dust is emitted from open pit mines, ore processing and metal extraction plants, ore stockpiles, ore transport containers and mine waste deposits, impacting the wider environment and communities. Lung diseases caused or exacerbated by mine dust exposure include silicosis (caused by inhaling quartz or crystalline silica), black lung disease (caused by inhaling coal dust) and tuberculosis (silica dust exposure increases the risk of pulmonary TB, particularly in gold miners). This places a huge burden on already-strained public health and social security systems.Occupational health hazards from mining are well documented, and the link between dust and lung disease was recently recognised in a class action lawsuit against the six main mining houses in South Africa, awarded in favour of mine workers who contracted silicosis and TB working on gold mines between March 1965 and May 2018 (https://www.silicosissettlement.co.za/). However, the health effects associated with environmental dust emissions, although frequently a concern expressed by communities and community support organisations, have not been rigorously studied. Meaningful data is needed to inform what strategies and policies will work best to mitigate the effects of mine dust on communities living near mines and mine dumps, the populations of which number in their millions. Gathering such data is not simple, however. There are many complexities involved, with dust sources and their effects being influenced by inter-related factors covering the health, economic, social, geological, environmental, engineering, management, and political spheres. The issues associated with mine dust are also frequently contentious and involve diverse stakeholders and interested and affected parties with different, and often conflicting priorities. Poor engagement and communication between experts and lay persons, disciplinary silos and polarised viewpoints have made it difficult to develop a holistic understanding of the complex health issues associated with environmental emissions of mine dusts, and consequently to design meaningful and integrated approaches to address such issues.It is these challenges that our GCRF MINE DUST AND HEALTH NETWORK will seek to address by bringing together researchers, stakeholders and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and professional backgrounds to identify sources, challenges and potential mitigation opportunities associated with public health effects from dust pollution arising from mining activities. Focus will be on integrating and sharing knowledge and information across different disciplines and stakeholders on potential source and dispersion pathways; potential risks to the environment and the health, quality of life and livelihoods of mining-affected communities; monitoring methods and practices; measures to manage dispersion and impacts; stakeholder engagement and communication; and governance policies, standards and regulations. Ultimately, the GCRF Mine Dust and Health network will serve as a collaborative think-tank to inform research directions both within and across disciplines; government policy and regulations; health monitoring programmes at public clinics; industry best practice; and community healthcare and impact prevention programmes across southern Africa and, as the Network expands, the globe.

虽然采矿业对世界各地发展中国家的经济作出了重大贡献，但采矿活动对环境和健康产生了显著的负面影响。其中，采矿及其相关作业所排放的粉尘日益引起人们的关注。除了影响吸入矿物粉尘颗粒的矿工的健康外，露天矿山、矿石加工和金属提取厂、矿石库存、矿石运输容器和矿山废物堆积物排放的粉尘还影响到更广泛的环境和社区。因接触矿尘而引起或加剧的肺病包括矽肺病（因吸入石英或结晶二氧化硅而引起）、黑肺病（因吸入煤尘而引起）和肺结核（接触硅尘会增加患肺结核的风险，特别是在金矿工人中）。这给本已紧张的公共卫生和社会保障系统带来了巨大负担。采矿对职业健康的危害有充分的记录，最近在一起针对南非六家主要矿业公司的集体诉讼中，人们认识到粉尘和肺病之间的联系，该诉讼有利于在1965年3月至2018年5月期间在金矿工作的矽肺病和结核病的矿工（https://www.silicosissettlement.co.za/）。然而，虽然社区和社区支助组织经常表示关切，但与环境粉尘排放有关的健康影响尚未得到严格研究。需要有意义的数据来说明哪些战略和政策最有效地减轻矿尘对生活在矿山和矿坑附近的社区的影响，这些社区的人口有数百万。然而，收集这些数据并不简单。涉及到许多复杂问题，尘源及其影响受到包括卫生、经济、社会、地质、环境、工程、管理和政治领域的相互关联因素的影响。与矿尘有关的问题也经常引起争议，涉及不同的利益攸关方和利害关系方和受影响方，他们的优先事项不同，往往相互冲突。专家和非专业人员之间的接触和沟通不足、学科孤岛和观点两极分化，使人们难以全面了解与矿尘环境排放有关的复杂健康问题，从而难以设计出有意义的综合办法来解决这些问题。正是这些挑战，我们的GCRF矿山粉尘和健康网络将通过汇集来自不同学科和专业背景的研究人员、利益攸关方和从业人员，确定采矿活动产生的粉尘污染对公众健康的影响的来源、挑战和潜在的缓解机会，寻求解决这些挑战。重点将放在整合和分享不同学科和利益攸关方之间关于潜在来源和传播途径的知识和信息；对环境以及受采矿影响社区的健康、生活质量和生计的潜在风险；监测方法和做法；管理分散和影响的措施；利益相关者参与和沟通；以及治理政策、标准和法规。最终，GCRF矿山粉尘与健康网络将作为一个协作智库，为学科内部和跨学科的研究方向提供信息；政府政策法规；公共诊所的健康监测方案；行业最佳实践；以及整个南部非洲的社区保健和影响预防方案，随着该网络的扩展，将扩展到全球。

项目成果

GCRF Mine dust and Health Network: a collaborative, inter-disciplinary think-tank

GCRF 矿尘与健康网络：一个协作的跨学科智囊团

• 发表时间: 2019
• 作者: Broadhurst JL

The GCRF Mine Dust and Health Network: A collaborative engagement platform

GCRF 矿山粉尘与健康网络：协作参与平台

• 发表时间: 2021
• 作者: Broadhurst, J.L.