Major Zambian River ‘Died’ Overnight After 50 Million Liters of ‘Dangerous Cocktail’ Was Spilled From a Mine

Zambia is facing a lethal crisis of unprecedented scale after a humungous acid spill at a Chinese-owned copper mine poisoned a major river, threatening the livelihoods and health of millions. This unfortunate incident has ignited outrage among locals and environmentalists, emphasizing the dangers of unchecked industrial operations in one of Africa’s top copper-producing nations, as per The Independent.

In February 2025, a tailings dam at the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia mine collapsed, unraveling a whooping 50 million liters of acidic waste into a stream that feeds the Kafue River. This river, spanning over 1,500 kilometers (930 miles), is Zambia’s lifeline—facilitating drinking water to five million people, aiding agriculture, and nurturing dynamic wildfire. Experts describe the leaked substance as a “dangerous cocktail” of concentrated acid, dissolved solids, and heavy metals,  making it a deadly concoction for environmental disasters in Zambia’s history. Residents living near the riverbank were the first to experience this horrible scene. Sean Cornelius (nearby resident) remarked, “Prior to February 18 this was a vibrant and alive river…Now everything is dead, it's like a totally dead river. Unbelievable. Overnight, this river died,” as reported by Politico.

Investigators from the Engineering Institution of Zambia confirmed that the aftermath of this is already happening 100 kilometers (60 miles) downstream, with reports of mass fish deaths and extinguishing birdlife. Moreover, The Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation has also confirmed the damage to crops near the riverbanks, posing concerns about food security. As if this was not enough, a deadly problem still lingers. It is speculated that there is a high chance of acidic waste seeping into the groundwater, posing an alarming risk to future problems that can be deadly for human beings or anyone who comes in contact with this liquid poison, via Politico.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has been quick and wasted no time in calling for foreign expertise to aid contain the crisis, emphasizing that the environmental damage could take years to reverse. Zhang Peiwen, chairman of Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, publicly apologized, “This disaster has rung a big alarm for Sino-Metals Leach and the mining industry…will go all out to restore the affected environment as quickly as possible,” as reported by The Independent.

However, critics argue that this is just the beginning of environmental violations. There is a lot more to witness in the near future if strict actions are not taken against this destructive nature. To make matters worse, a second acid leak was discovered at another Chinese-owned mine just days later. Officials have proactively since arrested two Chinese managers for continuing such actions after orders to halt the procedure. Moreover, a worker lost his life after falling into acid. Environmental engineer Mweene Himwinga noted, “It really just brings out the negligence that some investors actually have when it comes to environmental protection…They don’t seem to have any concern at all, any regard at all. And I think it’s really worrying because at the end of the day, we as Zambian people, (it’s) the only land we have,” via The Independent.