Zambia's government says it will seek more compensation for communities affected by a toxic spill from a Chinese-owned copper mine, if this is needed following a full assessment.
The spill of highly acidic mine-waste laden with toxic heavy metals happened in February when a dam that held waste from the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine collapsed, polluting a key river that is a major source of drinking water.
The firm apologised and pledged to compensate the victims but Zambia's Vice-President Mutale Nalumango says that may not be all, adding that the safety of Zambians was non-negotiable.
Some embassies have warned their citizens to avoid the area due to the health risks.
Sino-Metals Leach Zambia mine is a subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, which is owned by the Chinese government. Initially, the company reported that only 50,000 tonnes of waste material had spilled into waterways that connect to the Kafue River. However, a South Africa-based environmental firm that investigated the extent of the spill found that it actually released 1.5 million tonnes of toxic material.
After its investigation, an environmental company reported approximately 900,000 cubic metres of toxic tailings still remained in the environment, containing dangerous levels of pollutants posing significant long-term health risks to the community.
Zambia's Vice-President stated that the $580,000 compensation was only a preliminary step, emphasizing that the damage might warrant additional compensation based on further assessments of environmental and health impacts.
Authorities have imposed a fishing ban on the affected river and are taking measures to mitigate the acidity in the waterways.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges in balancing mining activities with environmental safety and community health in Zambia, an important player in global copper production.
