Title of paper

8. Summary

This introduction to uranium has shown that it is a toxic, radioactive heavy metal. Radioactivity means that under certain conditions the unstable uranium can ionize or lose electrons, and at the same time release a quantity of energy. The uranium-235 isotope is fissile, so, after mining, the uranium has to be enriched to bring the level up from 0.7% ₂₃₅U to about 4% for nuclear energy and 90% for nuclear weapons. Exposure to ionizing radiation raises the risk of disease and precautions need to be taken to prevent such exposure.

9. Activities, research and debates

• 
  Try to source a map of uranium deposits all over the world. How much uranium does Namibia produce each year? How important is uranium in the Namibian economy? How significant is Namibian production in world terms?
  
• 
  How would you explain ionizing radiation briefly if you were interviewed on the radio? What advice would you give a radio audience about radiation protection?
  
• 
  Is it safe to work in a uranium mine? See if you can research the experiences of (a) the people of the town of Arlit in the West African country of Niger, (b) the Navajo community of the south-eastern United States of America, and (c) workers at Rössing. In each case, note the occupational and environmental exposure to uranium.
  
• 
  Some argue that there is no ‘safe’ dose of exposure to ionizing radiation. Others say that as long as workers remain exposed only to very low doses, their health will be fine. Stage a debate evaluating the evidence on both sides.
  

Uranium Mining & the Health of Workers – some Epidemiological Evidence

By Hilma Shindondola-Mote

1. Introduction and background

In many discussions about the impact of uranium mining, the financial benefits are often discussed more than the negative impact of the activity on the environment and human beings. The mining companies and governments give evidence of the benefits or uranium mining such as the number of job opportunities created, investments in infrastructure in the areas where mining is taking place, taxes being paid by the mining companies as well as the profits the company is making. However, the not so obvious issue such as the impact on the health of workers are hardly discussed. In some cases, when such issues are raised by workers, civil society and environmental lobby groups, they were ignored and sometimes characterised as baseless and hence lacking empirical evidence.
This paper is based on interviews conducted with more than 50 current and former workers at a uranium mine in Namibia. The research focused on understanding the complexities surrounding uranium mining in Namibia.⁴⁰

2. General health impacts of uranium mining

All over the world where uranium mining takes place or has taken place, scientists, workers and people living in surrounding communities complain about similar health related problems. They can be summarised in 10 points:

1. 
   It is accepted that uranium ore is harmless as long as it remains outside the body because it contains very little pure uranium.
   
2. 
   But due to the mechanical extraction process of uranium ore from the rock around it, mine workers are exposed to the fine particles of uranium, but also to radon – the latter is a by-product of uranium in the form of radioactive gas, which is inhaled.
   
3. 
   The inhalation of radioactive gas causes cancer, especially lung cancer.
   
4. 
   Uranium is therefore highly toxic and usually attacks internal organs such as kidneys.
   
5. 
   Studies have shown that uranium can pose danger to pregnant women because it contributes to birth defects in unborn babies and infants.
   
6. 
   It also leads to an increased chance of contraction of leukemia.
   
7. 
   It mutates human DNA and deforms chromosomes.
   
8. 
   Due to the fact that uranium is radioactive and its by-products are not stable, it changes and decays into other elements. Its other elements such as radon and polonium are just as toxic as their parent element.
   
9. 
   Even people who have never worked for the mines are endangered directly and indirectly.
   
10. 
    Lung cancer, leukemia, stomach cancer and birth defects are the most common diseases found among miners and people in communities around uranium mines.
    

3. The experiences of workers at Rössing uranium mine

For many of the people who shared their stories that are depicted in here, working at Rössing was like ‘manna from heaven’. They left their wives and children to work at the mine. Many were young, barely 20+ of age. They passed the pre-employment health test with flying colours. This was a requirement to take up employment at most mining companies. Over the years, they were subjected to annual health tests and were told they were healthy. Those who are still working for the company have witnessed how some of their former colleagues became sick not long after retirement. A few were sent on early retirement whilst others were released on grounds of ailing health. To many, it remains a mystery why their former colleagues died so quickly after leaving the company, or why many were cancer patients. Many workers indicated that they want this mystery uncovered. They believe the company knows the reasons why some of the workers are experiencing ailing health and therefore the company should provide answers.
Workers confirmed that annual health checks were conducted on them by the company’s medical personnel. However, they are questioning the reliability of the annual health tests. Many believe that conducting the test will not serve much purpose if the true nature of the outcome of the tests is not shared.
A current worker said: “Yes there is a test but we have a problem with it. You enter, you get your pre-test, you get your exist medical test. In our experience most people go through the medical examination for exist, only to hear two or three months later that they have been detected with cancer in the advanced stage. We are questioning the credibility of the test.”
Many feared that they continued working while they were already affected negatively by dust and radon gas. It has also become practice for the union in particular to advise their members to seek a second medical opinion.
A current worker said: “I consult private doctors annually to keep track of my health status because I don’t trust the mine doctors. (…) It’s only when workers have left Rössing; gone to private doctors that they are told the true reflection of their health status in terms of illnesses which means the mine doctor is gambling with the health of the workers and manipulating their files.”