The environmental impact of opencast coal mining: Case study: Moatize District (2010 to 2023)

This article is about the environmental impact of opencast coal mining. Its general objective is to assess the environmental impacts caused by opencast coal mining in the Moatize district. The problem was: what is the environmental impact of opencast coal mining in the Moatize district? We opted for a qualitative approach, in an exploratory and descriptive study, and the technical procedures consisted of a case study. It was concluded that living in Moatize is unsafe due to the harmful effects that coal mining can have on them. Dust was a very common element among the respondents. Coal dust is said to cause health problems for those who live in the municipality of Moatize, especially in the neighborhoods near the mine. The results of the study show that it is imperative to increase the institutional responsibility of companies and government bodies, providing health care and promoting environmental interventions for the population of Moatize, which is directly affected by precarious living and health conditions and by coal dust.