Authorities and environmentalists in Zambia fear an acid spill at a 
-owned mine that contaminated a major river could potentially affect millions of people over the long term after signs of pollution were detected at least 100km downstream.
The spill happened on Feb 18 when a tailings dam that holds acidic waste from a copper mine in the north of the country collapsed.
The collapse allowed some 50 million liters of waste containing concentrated acid, dissolved solids and heavy metals to flow into a stream that links to the Kafue River, Zambia’s most important waterway.
The leak is a crisis that threatens people and wildlife along the Kafue, which runs for more than 1,500km through the heart of Zambia.
Dead fish could be seen washing up on the banks of the Kafue River about 100km downstream from the mine run by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, which is majority owned by state-run China Nonferrous Metals Industry Group.
The acid leak at the mine caused a complete shutdown of the water supply to the nearby city of Kitwe, home to an estimated 700,000 people.
A smaller acid waste leak from another -owned mine in Zambia’s copper belt was discovered days after the Sino-Metals accident, and authorities have accused the smaller mine of attempting to hide it.
Local police said a mine worker died at that second mine after falling into acid and alleged that the mine continued to operate after being instructed to stop its operations by authorities.
Two mine managers have been arrested.
Both mines have now halted their operations after orders from Zambian authorities, while many Zambians are angry.
apnews.com/article/mining
-owned mine that contaminated a major river could potentially affect millions of people over the long term after signs of pollution were detected at least 100km downstream.
The spill happened on Feb 18 when a tailings dam that holds acidic waste from a copper mine in the north of the country collapsed.
The collapse allowed some 50 million liters of waste containing concentrated acid, dissolved solids and heavy metals to flow into a stream that links to the Kafue River, Zambia’s most important waterway.
The leak is a crisis that threatens people and wildlife along the Kafue, which runs for more than 1,500km through the heart of Zambia.
Dead fish could be seen washing up on the banks of the Kafue River about 100km downstream from the mine run by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, which is majority owned by state-run China Nonferrous Metals Industry Group.
The acid leak at the mine caused a complete shutdown of the water supply to the nearby city of Kitwe, home to an estimated 700,000 people.
A smaller acid waste leak from another -owned mine in Zambia’s copper belt was discovered days after the Sino-Metals accident, and authorities have accused the smaller mine of attempting to hide it.
Local police said a mine worker died at that second mine after falling into acid and alleged that the mine continued to operate after being instructed to stop its operations by authorities.
Two mine managers have been arrested.
Both mines have now halted their operations after orders from Zambian authorities, while many Zambians are angry.
apnews.com/article/mining