Zambia Copper Mine Waste Dam Collapse: A Deepening Environmental Crisis

An independent evaluation of a waste dam partial collapse at a Chinese – owned copper mine in Zambia indicates that the amount of toxic sludge released into the environment may be 30 times higher than initially reported. The incident occurred at the Sino – Metals Leach Zambia Ltd. mine near Kitwe in the north.

The company hired to assess the environmental damage, Drizit Zambia Ltd., found that at least 1.5 million tons of poisonous substance escaped when a reservoir at the mine failed. This is far more than the previously – stated 50,000 tons by the government and Sino – Metals. Drizit described it as a “large – scale environmental catastrophe” threatening local drinking water, fishing stocks, and farmland.

Sino – Metals, however, questioned Drizit’s methodology and terminated their contract, claiming “contractual breaches.” But Drizit stated that SML had tried to disrupt the assessment process and influence the findings.

The disaster has significant implications. It risks undermining Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema’s plan to boost cop...