China Zambia River Disaster: Acid Spill from Chinese-Owned Mine Kills Major River in Zambia

In February 2024, a serious environmental disaster happened in Zambia, a country in southern Africa. A Chinese-owned copper mine spilled a huge amount of acidic waste into Zambia’s most important river, the Kafue River. This river is used by millions of people for drinking water, farming, and fishing. Now, the river is badly polluted, and many people are very worried.

What Happened?

On February 18, a waste storage dam collapsed at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine, which is run by a Chinese state-owned company called China Nonferrous Metals Group. The collapse released about 50 million liters of harmful waste into nearby streams that lead into the Kafue River.

This waste included:

• Strong acid

• Heavy metals

• Other toxic substances

These pollutants traveled over 100 kilometers downstream, killing fish, birds, and other wildlife. Local people said the river "died overnight." Once a healthy, flowing river full of life, it suddenly became a toxic waterway with no signs of life.

How Bad Is the Damage?

The pollution has affected:

• The city of Kitwe, where 700,000 people live. Water supply was shut down after the spill.

• Farms along the river. The acid has damaged crops and may harm groundwater.

• The Kafue River Basin, where about 60% of Zambia’s 20 million people live.

The river is also connected to the Zambezi River, one of Africa’s biggest rivers. If the pollution spreads there, it could harm other countries too.

Government Response

The Zambian government is working to stop the damage. They used:

• Air Force planes to drop lime into the river to reduce the acid

• Speedboats to spread the lime more widely

  
  

The government has also:

• Stopped the mine from working

• Started investigations

• Arrested two Chinese managers at a second mine that also had a smaller acid spill and reportedly tried to hide it

  
  

The Chinese Company Responds

The head of the mine, Zhang Peiwen, apologized in a public statement. He promised the company will do everything it can to clean up the river and help fix the environment.

However, many people in Zambia are angry. They feel that some Chinese companies do not follow safety rules, and only care about profit. One environmental engineer said, “They don’t seem to care about the environment. But this is the only land we have.”

Why Is China Involved in Zambia?

Zambia is one of the top 10 copper producers in the world. Copper is used to make things like smartphones and electric vehicles. China is the largest importer of copper in the world, and it has invested heavily in Zambia’s copper mines.

But this close relationship comes with problems:

• Some Chinese mines in Zambia do not treat workers fairly

• Zambia owes over $4 billion to China and has had to restructure loans due to debt problems

• In the past, there were riots and protests against Chinese companies in Zambia

  
  

This latest river disaster may increase anti-China feelings in the country again.

What Happens Next?

Zambia’s president, Hakainde Hichilema, has called for international help and expert support to fix the damage. There are talks of new environmental laws being passed to protect rivers and land from future pollution.

However the country still needs Chinese money to grow its economy. The president wants to triple copper production, which will require more investment from China.

This creates a difficult situation: Zambia needs China's help, but it also wants to protect its land, people, and water from further harm.

Conclusion

The “China Zambia river” story is a tragic warning about what can happen when profit is put ahead of safety. One mistake from a mining company has caused serious harm to Zambia’s most important river, affecting millions of lives. As investigations continue, people hope that justice is served and that this never happens again and not in Zambia, and not anywhere else.