Socioeconomic Livelihoods and Environmental Degradation: An Integrated Assessment of Artisanal Quarry Mining in Misisi Compound

Abstract

This paper examines the socioeconomic, environmental, and health implications of artisanal quarry mining in Misisi Compound, Lusaka, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates a survey of 134 purposively selected miners with in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with institutional informants from key regulatory bodies, including the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development (MMMD), the Lusaka City Council (LCC), and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR). The main conclusion is that quarrying is an essential source of income for extremely vulnerable households with few other viable economic options, but it is still a deeply ingrained paradox because it is a highly informal industry with consistently low and unpredictable pay and operates under a system of lax regulatory oversight that permits hazardous working conditions. Miners face serious health risks at work, including musculoskeletal injuries, exposure to intense heat without proper protective gear, and chronic respiratory illnesses from silica dust. This puts workers in a vicious cycle in which their immediate means of subsistence routinely jeopardize both the ecological integrity of their surroundings and their long-term well-being.