African state disputes US claim over Chinese-owned mine

https://www.rt.com/africa/622651-zambia-us-claims-environmental-crisis/

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Toxic contamination from a leak is under control and no longer poses a danger to public health, Zambian officials have claimed

The Zambian government has rejected a local US Embassy warning of toxic contamination following a waste spill from a Chinese-operated mine into one of the country’s main waterways in February. 

The situation following the Sino Metals Leach Zambia dam breach, which released millions of gallons of acidic effluent, has been under control for months, according to government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa.

A US health alert on Wednesday advised embassy staff to evacuate the Kitwe region, citing environmental data and warning of “hazardous and carcinogenic substances,” including arsenic, cyanide, uranium, and other heavy metals, allegedly present in the area. The embassy described the risk as posing both immediate and long-term health threats.

During a press conference on Thursday, Mweetwa stated that the water’s pH levels had returned to safe ranges. “Concentrations of heavy metals are steadily decreasing, which means that the immediate danger to human, animal and plant life has been averted,” he said, adding that there was no need to sound the alarm or scare residents and the international community.

Mweetwa claimed that 37 out of 200 tested water samples had met safety standards, with the rest still undergoing testing. He noted that no deaths had been recorded as a result of the pollution incident.

Local media outlets have reported that the contamination spread over a distance of more than 100 kilometers. The spill is reported to have led to the fish and livestock kills, raising concern among nearby communities and environmental groups.

According to Reuters, the Chinese-owned mine operator has been fully cooperating with the authorities and is funding the implementation of mitigation efforts.

This case echoes a long-standing environmental crisis tied to Zambia’s Kabwe mine, where lead poisoning affected over 100,000 people.

The Copperbelt province in Zambia, which ranks among the global top-10 copper producers, is the site of several Chinese-backed mining operations.