Sino Mine acid spill, 2025

2025 Zambia acid spill

Acid-contaminated effluent in Mwambashi Stream, February 2025
Date	18 February 2025
Location	Chambishi, Copperbelt Province, Zambia
Type	Tailings dam collapse / Acidic mine effluent spill
Cause	Failure of Sino-Metals Leach Zambia tailings dam
Outcome	River acidification, ecological damage, water supply disruption, multi-agency cleanup
Reported Deaths	0 confirmed (no direct human deaths)*
Reported Injuries	Potential health impacts from contaminated water
Organisations involved	Sino-Metals Leach Zambia; Zambia Air Force; ZEMA; WARMA; Nkana Water; Ministry of Water and Sanitation

The 2025 Zambia acid spill occurred on 18 February 2025, when a tailings dam at the Sino‑Metals Leach Zambia facility in Chambishi, Copperbelt Province collapsed, releasing approximately 50 million litres of acidic and heavy-metal–laden waste into the Mwambashi Stream and subsequently the Kafue River. The disaster severely impacted water supplies, ecosystems, agriculture, and livelihoods across the region.

Background

Zambia is one of the world's top ten copper producers, with a significant presence of Chinese-owned mining companies. Concerns have long been raised about inadequate regulation and substandard tailings dam safety in the Copperbelt region.

Impact

Environmental

• Large-scale fish die-offs and wildlife losses were reported along more than 100 km downstream. Residents described the site as having “died overnight.”
• Farming plots—including maize, groundnuts, and vegetables—suffered severe crop destruction and soil acidification.
• Elevated levels of copper, manganese, and zinc were recorded in water and sediment, indicating long-term ecological contamination.

Public health & livelihoods

• The water supply to Kitwe (≈700,000 inhabitants) was suspended entirely.
• Fishing and irrigation across communities collapsed; many farmers lost their entire harvests.

Residents shared the devastation publicly: > “It’s like a totally dead river… Overnight, this river died.” — Sean Cornelius > “I found the lime had flowed through the pond and all the fish had been swept away. I just stood in agony…” — Juliet Bulaya, farmer

Response

Government

• The government halted operations at Sino‑Metals and nearby Chinese-owned Rongxing mine following inspections that revealed similar safety lapses.
• President Hichilema deployed Zambia Air Force helicopters to disperse hundreds of tons of lime and mobilised a multi-agency cleanup task force including ZEMA, WARMA, Water Development, and Nkana Water.
• Initial pH levels returned to neutral (6.9–7.4), though heavy metal contamination in sediment and groundwater persisted.
• Farmers are being registered for compensation; Rongxing’s director was arrested, and police enforce compliance at affected sites.

Corporate

• Sino‑Metals apologized publicly and pledged full responsibility for cleanup and compensation.
• Mutual assurances of environmental restoration were made, but implementation remains under community scrutiny.

Context & Ongoing Challenges

• In March 2025, another spill at the Mimbula Mine (British-operated) contaminated local water systems, highlighting systemic regulatory failures in the mining sector.
• Civil society and environmental advocates blame Chinese mining operations for prioritizing profits over safety; the spill reignited demand for tougher regulation and accountability.

Aftermath & Significance

The incident has become a catalyst for reform in Zambia's mining sector, intensifying calls for structural oversight, improved dam standards, and protection for communities and ecosystems. Government commitments to reform are underway, but tangible actions and enforcement remain crucial.

See also

• Kafue River
• Mwambashi stream
• 1970 Mufulira Mine Disaster
• Mining in Zambia
• Environmental disasters in Zambia