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, according to investigators from the Engineering Institution of Zambia.
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 engineering institution said.
“It is an environmental disaster really of catastrophic consequences,” said Chilekwa Mumba, an environmental activist who works in Zambia’s Copperbelt Province.
“This disaster has rung a big alarm for Sino-Metals Leach and the mining industry,” [says company directly responsible.]
Yeah, no it hasn’t. This isn’t the first mining dam to fail with consequences. It won’t be the last. No one at that company is losing sleep over this.
Both mines have now halted their operations after orders from Zambian authorities, while many Zambians are angry.
Gotta let it die down. Placate the masses. Then back to business as usual.
From the sound of this, the masses in Zambia are going to die.
It’s happened or happening in Cameroon as well ( link ) by Sinosteel, part of the same company China Baowu Steel Group Corp., Ltd.
“Cameroon Locals Seek Justice amid Chinese Iron Mining Expansion”
(…) serious environmental risks, including potential contamination of the Lobé and Likodo rivers, and Manyange na Elombo Campo Marine Park. Early signs of water quality deterioration were observed even before mining operations began(…) The project threatens tropical forests, wetlands, and endemic species in Campo Maan National Park and Manyangué na Elombo Campo Marine Park(…)
+FYI: Population Cameroon 31M.
