US embassy cable - 04PRETORIA3283

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 003283 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/STC/JROTTIER, AF/S, AF/EPS 
STATE PLEASE PASS USGS 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO NSF FOR ELYONS 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO DOE FOR OFFICE OF FOSSIL ENERGY/LYNCHR 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR TBIO 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID FOR GLOBAL BUREAU APETERSON 
HHS FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WSTEIGER 
HHS FOR NIH/FIC JLEVIN 
CDC FOR SBLOUNT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KSCA, EMIN, SENV, EIND, BC, MZ, WA, SF 
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA: REVIEW OF DR. ROBERT FINKELMAN'S 
THREE-MONTH TOUR AS EMBASSY SCIENCE FELLOW 
 
 
1. (U) Summary: On June 28, Dr. Finkelman, a coal scientist 
with the U.S. Geological Survey, completed a highly 
successful three-month tour-of-duty as Embassy Science 
Fellow.  Dr. Finkelman met with more than 500 South 
Africans in over forty formal meetings, presentations, and 
seminars to officials in government, industry, academia, 
and public health to introduce the field of medical 
geology.  His conclusion was that there was more than 
sufficient support in South Africa to pursue medical 
geology as a science and as a public health concern.  Dr. 
Finkelman will be returning to South Africa in 2005 and 
2006 to teach courses in medical geology and coal science, 
and to consult with both government and industry on the 
establishment of a medical geology research center to serve 
both the country and the region.  End summary. 
 
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Medical Geology 
--------------- 
 
2. (U) Earth disturbances caused by mining, farming, 
construction, and natural events such as earthquakes and 
volcanic activity, together with the burning of 
hydrocarbons may release gases and particulate matter into 
the environment that harm human and animal health.  Medical 
geology is the science of determining the impact on health 
of such geological activities, and proposing solutions. 
South Africa is a natural place to foster medical geology, 
since the country has one of the world's largest mining 
industries, generates more than 60 percent of the 
continent's electricity from high ash coal, and is home to 
the most advanced commercial agriculture on the continent. 
Moreover, health problems that might have been addressed by 
medical geology still have not been tackled in a 
coordinated way. 
 
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Medical Geology Research Center 
------------------------------- 
 
3. (U) Dr. Finkelman used his Embassy Science Fellowship to 
introduce the concept of medical geology to a wide-ranging 
audience in South Africa.  His presentations generated 
considerable interest among government, industry, and 
academic officials.  There was particular interest in 
establishing a medical geology research center that could 
facilitate the analysis of trace elements, the 
identification of toxic substances, the development of 
preventative measures and medical treatment, teaching, and 
domestic and international research in the field of medical 
geology.  Before Dr. Finkelman departed, Pretoria, 
Johannesburg, and Witwatersrand Universities as well as the 
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (a 
government research institution) expressed the desire to 
participate in the establishment of such a center. 
 
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Other Initiatives 
----------------- 
 
4. (U) Other initiatives set in motion by Dr. Finkelman 
include the following: 
 
-- Johannesburg University [recently created through the 
merger of Rand Afrikaans University and Witwatersrand 
Technikon] will develop a coal quality database as an 
integral part of its planned Center of Excellence for Coal, 
Hydrocarbon, Energy and Environmental Education.  The 
database will also be part of South Africa's Coaltech 2020 
research program to determine the quantity and quality of 
South African coal reserves. 
 
 
-- University of Pretoria is creating an informal Medical 
Geology Working Group to plot the way forward on animal 
health issues; 
 
-- University of Kwazulu/Natal Medical School (Durban) 
plans to include medical geology as part of its course on 
Environmental Toxicology; 
 
-- Onderstepoort Veterinary School (Pretoria) will research 
medical geology as it pertains to animals.  At Dr. 
Finkelman's suggestion, the school will host a first-ever 
workshop on 'Veterinary Geology' in 2006, to be sponsored 
by the United Nations. 
 
5. (U) Dr. Finkelman's presence also stimulated the 
following: 
 
-- universities and research organizations are developing a 
regional network to share information on medical geology 
already there has been an exchange of information on 
veterinary matters between Namibia and South Africa; 
 
-- Anglo Coal has initiated research on the impact of 
spontaneous coal combustion on human health; 
 
-- National Institute for Occupational Health is 
contemplating developing a predictive model for Coal 
Workers Pneumoconiosis (Black Lung Disease); 
 
-- visiting professors from Pennsylvania State University 
and Eastern Georgia College helped teach courses at 
Witwatersrand University, and consulted with SASOL and 
other coal producers. 
 
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The Foreseeable Future 
---------------------- 
 
6. (U) Given South Africa's world-class mining industry and 
sophisticated medical community, Dr. Finkelman believes 
that the country is uniquely situated to benefit from the 
science of medical geology.  On his return to the United 
States, he has promised to seek financial support for the 
creation of a medical geology research center in South 
Africa, similar to the one that he is establishing in 
China.  In addition, Dr. Finkelman has agreed to return to 
South Africa in 2005 and 2006 to lecture at the 
universities of Pretoria, Johannesburg and Witwatersrand in 
medical and veterinary geology, to consult to Sasol and 
Anglo Coal and to supervise South Africa's first master's 
degree student studying medical geology.  As requested, Dr. 
Finkelman will analyze and report to Anglo American Coal on 
trace elements emitted from its burning coal dumps and 
abandoned underground mines in Witbank (in Mpumalanga 
Province).  The burning coal presents a significant health 
and safety hazard to local inhabitants. 
HUME