A Chinese-owned copper mine in Zambia suffered a catastrophic accident in mid-February, releasing 50 million liters of toxic acid waste into the local water table. The spill has resulted in widespread environmental damage and heightened diplomatic tensions between Zambia and China.
The disaster occurred on February 18 at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine in Zambia’s Copperbelt province. China is the dominant player in Zambia’s mining industry, but its operations have been frequently criticized for poor safety, environmental, and labor standards. Zambia, heavily indebted to China with over $4 billion in loans, has often been hesitant to confront Beijing over violations.
Copper mining relies on acidic compounds to separate valuable minerals from ore. The waste, known as “tailings,” is highly toxic and must be stored in sealed reservoirs to prevent environmental contamination. However, on February 18, a tailings dam at Sino-Metals Leach Zambia collapsed, causing a worst-case scenario: toxic waste flowed directly into a stream that feeds the Kafue River, a vital water source for 12 million Zambians, including residents of the capital, Lusaka.
Environmental activists have called the spill an “environmental disaster of catastrophic consequences,” declaring the 930-mile-long Kafue River “totally dead.” Large numbers of dead fish washed up along the riverbanks, devastating local fisheries, while crops irrigated with contaminated water withered. The Zambian military deployed planes and speedboats to dump lime into the river in an effort to neutralize the acidic waste.
Shortly after the disaster, another Chinese-owned mine in Zambia suffered a smaller acid spill. A mine worker was killed after falling into the acid, and local officials accused the mine’s owners of attempting to conceal the leak and defying government orders to cease operations. Two managers from the second mine have been arrested.
In response to the crisis, Zambia’s government ordered Sino-Metals Leach Zambia to halt operations at three of its tailing storage dams until necessary repairs are completed. Environment Minister Mike Mposha directed the company to provide clean drinking water to affected communities, restore the contaminated soil, and engage an independent environmental consultant to monitor groundwater and biodiversity in the Kafue River basin.
The South China Morning Post reported growing tensions between China and Zambia following the disaster. University of Johannesburg research director Emmanuel Matambo noted that the Zambian government, historically reluctant to criticize China due to its financial dependence, is now openly condemning Beijing’s handling of the mine catastrophe. Matambo predicted that this disaster will reignite long-standing concerns over China’s environmental practices in Africa, placing Chinese investments in Zambia under increased scrutiny.
