Toxic wastewater from Chinese-owned copper mine threatens Zambian communities and environment

Last month, the US ordered its officials to evacuate or avoid key towns in Zambia’s northern ‘copperbelt’ region. This follows the spill of acidic and metal-laced water at a Chinese mine that was worse than previously believed.

In February, 50 million litres of toxic wastewater escaped from a dam at a copper mine run by Sino Metals Leach in Chambishi, Naomi Mattos, a state department official, confirmed to Chemistry World. This wastewater was left over from cleaning metals and while the acid wasn’t specified, sulfuric acid is commonly used to leach copper from its oxide. Sino Metals is owned by the Chinese state corporation, China Nonferrous Metals Mining.