A breach at a tailings dam in northern Zambia has sparked intense debate over the environmental costs of copper mining. The incident at a Sino-Metals Leach Zambia facility—majority-owned by China Nonferrous Metals Industry Group—sent around 50 million liters of acidic waste into a small stream that feeds the vital Kafue River.
Investigators from the Engineering Institution of Zambia described the spill as containing high concentrations of dissolved solids, heavy metals, and residual acid, all byproducts of a process that relies on strong acid solutions to leach copper from ore.
Local environmental activist Chilekwa Mumba warned of “catastrophic consequences,” underscoring how the contamination could reach groundwater and farmland along the Kafue’s banks.
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Zambia’s government responded with large-scale attempts to mitigate damage, including dropping hundreds of tons of lime into the river via aircraft in an effort to neutralize acidity. Officials also deployed speedboats to distribute lime along stretches of the Kafue.
Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema called the event a crisis and solicited aid from experts. Authorities briefly halted water supply to the city of Kitwe, home to 700,000 people.
From the air, images show muddy, discolored swaths where once-lush riverbanks have turned barren. “Overnight, this river died,” said a resident near the Kafue who witnessed fish kills and the abrupt disappearance of birdlife.
Authorities estimate that more than five million people rely on the Kafue for drinking water, farming, and livelihood, intensifying concerns over long-term impacts.
Sino-Metals Leach Zambia offered an apology through its chairman, Zhang Peiwen, who promised to restore the affected area “as quickly as possible.”
Another leak at a different Chinese-owned mine in the region was soon discovered, with police reports indicating that a worker died after falling into acid at that site. Local authorities say the operators continued their work despite official orders to stop, leading to the arrest of two Chinese managers.
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