An evaluation of the collapse of a waste dam at a Chinese state-owned copper mine in Zambia may have released 30 times more toxic sludge into the environment than previously reported.

Kitwe

A recent toxic waste spill at a Chinese-owned mine in Zambia was initially reported by the government as releasing 50,000 tons of waste into a river. However, an independent report by Zaret indicates the actual amount was up to 1.5 million tons, containing hazardous substances such as arsenic, cyanide, and uranium. This volume is enough to fill over 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools and has led to warnings from international embassies and organizations about severe long-term health and environmental consequences.

Despite the scale of the disaster, the Zambian government has downplayed its impact, claiming measures have been taken to neutralize the river's acidity and even declaring the water safe. Critics, including Transparency International, argue that the government's response prioritizes diplomatic and economic relations with China, a major investor in Zambia's mining sector, over public health and environmental safety.

Zambia downplays China-owned mine disaster

Andira, walk us through what more we know about the scale of this incident. Good morning, Jen. So what we know is that it's far bigger than what had been anticipated or reported by the government. Initially, the government reported only 50,000 tons had been released into the river. But the report by Zaret reveals that up to 30 times more was released, which puts it at 1.5 million tons. And to put this into context, this is toxic waste that can fill over 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools. And it's not just any form of toxic waste. It contains heavy metals like arsenic, cyanide, and uranium. And all this was released into the river, and now they're terming it as one of the worst mining disasters that have ever been recorded globally. And we saw the U.S. also issue a warning on the scale of this disaster, recall its people who are in the area and the surrounding areas. And we've seen the Finnish and Australian embassy update their health reports that they've put out. We are also seeing Transparency International call out the government and say that this poses severe long-term effects, particularly if immediate measure is not taken. But this doesn't look like the priority of the government. They have severely downplayed the effects of this disaster and overplayed their hand. So, a river whose pH is 1, this is as acidic as it gets. It can dissolve human bones. But the government said, we've poured some lime into it, we are neutralizing the acidity, going as far as saying the water is safe. Some government officials have tried to drink it. But this does not negate how big and how deep the scope of this disaster runs. And it could certainly complicate the relationship Zambia has with China, who's been one of its biggest investors over the past few years, surely. Absolutely, because SML is a state-owned company and its parent company had pledged to spend at least $1.3 billion to support Zambia's bid to triple their copper production. Hakende Chilema wants to increase production from 1 million tons annually up to 3 million tons annually. And this is money that could have gone a long way. Maybe that's why we're seeing the government being very diplomatic, tiptoeing around the issue so that they don't tip some live wires and make this investment go into the back burner. Zambia is also in the process of restructuring their debt with Chinese lenders to a tune of $5.6 billion. And that's something that they also do not want to jeopardize. But there's also something to be said about China's insatiable appetite for minerals, particularly across the African continent. And they're leaving a trail of disasters that is beginning to taint the carefully curated image of worthy partners in this win-win situation. We've seen fatalities in mining sites. We've seen conflict between mining companies and communities. We are now seeing environmental disasters coupled with corruption and fraudulent activities. China needs to go back to the drawing board and rethink how it's going to do business, particularly mining on the African continent.

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