Chinese mine causes environmental disaster in zambia on the kafue river

[pilar]

I’m so sorry for everyone impacted.

The issues with China began long before Biden was in office. The US government has not held them accountable for over two decades or longer.

It’s hugely disappointing what the USA government has done to not stop the Chinese & Russian from running amuck in Africa and other places, they seem to be investing heavily in lots more than we are currently paying attention to,

 

[IvW]

What a disaster......

 

[Ericedwinbates]

Makes me want to Puke!! Elections and leadership worldwide have consequences, as does ignoring history or past actions? China will plunder everyplace they are and could care little or nothing of environmental concerns. Leadership in the African Countries need not be useful idiots and allow so much Chinese influence.
Sadly America under the last administration has failed on an epic measurable scale in world matters. There is lots to fix for sure and I hope the United States can reestablish relationships with our friendly countries in Africa and have a bright future.

 

[Hunt anything]

Unfortunately the best case scenario will be A LOT of rain to push the toxin’s down river and disperse them to safer levels. They will be present for many years but hopefully diluted enough not to kill everything that comes in contact with them. We still have rivers, creeks and lakes in the states that were contaminated 50 years ago (or more) with heavy metals and they still have fish consumption advisories and warnings in place.
One other thing that may happen. If all of the fish are killed by the toxic chemicals the crocodiles are going to find something else to eat, not a comforting thought for the people that have to use the river!

 

[spike.t]

OK...so yesterday the river lure conservation group got into action...they are some of the people who run the same named fishing competition in the area on the river....during the competition they raise money to use in fishing patrols and anti poaching as part of it....so a plan has been out together and is being implemented....also a journalist in SA who specialises in environmental issues contacted me after seeing this thread..he writes for international publications...spoke to him for a bit and sent him the videos..photos anti voice messages I have...he also has contacts with specialists in this spillage field in SA ...I gave him contact info of couple of the guys on the committee and he was in contact immediately..he also gave contact info for the specialists and already they are involved trying to help....it will be a big struggle but people are pulling big time....won't be perfect but even something to cut it down will be positive....

 

[spike.t]

Update from my manager this morning
...said no fish at edge of river gasping....nothing....no frogs calling last night...cormorants not around...and 2 fish eagles not around...hopefully just gone to fresher places.....but still stream of dead fish washing down from upriver.....

 

[Pheroze]

Govt says preliminary findings show Sino Metals’ operational negligence caused spillage of acid into Kafue River | Zambia Monitor

Mines and Mineral Development Minister Paul Kabuswe says government's preliminary report shows Sino Metals Leach Limited neglected critical issues leading to the spillage of acids into Mwambashi and Kafue Rivers. Speaking during a media briefing after touring the failing dams in Chambishi on...

www.zambiamonitor.com

Kafue River Water on the Copperbelt Found Highly Acidic - ZNBC-Just for you

By Masauso Mkwayaya Government is assessing farms along the contaminated Mwambashi Stream and Kafue River on the Copperbelt to determine the potential effect of the pollution on the fish and livestock. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock says a team from the National Aquaculture Research and...

znbc.co.zm

 

[spike.t]

Govt says preliminary findings show Sino Metals’ operational negligence caused spillage of acid into Kafue River | Zambia Monitor

Mines and Mineral Development Minister Paul Kabuswe says government's preliminary report shows Sino Metals Leach Limited neglected critical issues leading to the spillage of acids into Mwambashi and Kafue Rivers. Speaking during a media briefing after touring the failing dams in Chambishi on...

www.zambiamonitor.com

Kafue River Water on the Copperbelt Found Highly Acidic - ZNBC-Just for you

By Masauso Mkwayaya Government is assessing farms along the contaminated Mwambashi Stream and Kafue River on the Copperbelt to determine the potential effect of the pollution on the fish and livestock. The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock says a team from the National Aquaculture Research and...

znbc.co.zm

Bit of poiitalk....mpongwe is bit up river from us ...so they forgetting the hundred plus kms down from there it's already reached...actually further by now.....and they done nothing to try stopping the spread down river...the Chinese threw a shitload of lime in the water which obviously had no effect...heard it was off a bridge....and we have learned that the lime has to be already mixed in water or just sinks to the bottom creating a shitload of its own problems over the following years...we been told the head boss of this sino mines shitshow was in meetings this morning with ministers and private secretaries....would have loved to be a fly on the wall in that room.......

 

[Hunt anything]

Just dumping lime in water won’t change much quickly . When working for a fisheries consulting company to get any results we used to put a ton of lime on a barge and using a high volume pump and jet it off of the barge and then reload making many trips around the pond. This helps dissolve the lime. I can’t even fathom how much lime it would take to even begin to change the PH in a river system. It would take many tons in a couple acre pond.
There is a commercial liquid lime available but I imagine it would be cost prohibitive to try to use in a River system. I’m sure the Chinese would do it anyway. They’ll just do whatever cost the least and say they tried.

 

[spike.t]

The 18 February 2025 TSF failure at Chambishi in Zambia

On 18 February 2025, a major Tailings Storage Facility failure occurred at Chambishi in Zambia, releasing a large amount of pollution.

eos.org

 

[WAB]

Just dumping lime in water won’t change much quickly . When working for a fisheries consulting company to get any results we used to put a ton of lime on a barge and using a high volume pump and jet it off of the barge and then reload making many trips around the pond. This helps dissolve the lime. I can’t even fathom how much lime it would take to even begin to change the PH in a river system. It would take many tons in a couple acre pond.
There is a commercial liquid lime available but I imagine it would be cost prohibitive to try to use in a River system. I’m sure the Chinese would do it anyway. They’ll just do whatever cost the least and say they tried.

Agreed. I can think of no practical way to remediate this. The acid is going to soak into the riverbed and keep the pH depressed for a long time. A few massive flushes will help, but one can only imagine how many years or decades it will take to fully recover. I hope that all stops are being pulled to ensure there is no further leakage of acid from this or other mines.

I am not a miner, but can you imagine how low the pH was in that pond to cause this? This seems totally insane to me.

 

[Surgeon1]

A pH of 4 that far down river, OMG this river will likely not recover in the life time of the youngest person to read this post!
The world needs to burn China back to the Stone Age! The USA should have started 40yrs ago
regretting the day Richard Nixon and his communist secretary of state, Henry Kissinger shook chairman Mao’s hand in China!

 

[spike.t]

OK.. ph has gone up a day or so after the "blob" for any better word passed.....so bit of positive...but manager said still dead fish floating past this morning 5 days after first hitting us.......

 

[spike.t]

The 18 February 2025 TSF failure at Chambishi in Zambia

On 18 February 2025, a major Tailings Storage Facility failure occurred at Chambishi in Zambia, releasing a large amount of pollution.

eos.org

 

[PeteG]

Agreed. I can think of no practical way to remediate this. The acid is going to soak into the riverbed and keep the pH depressed for a long time. A few massive flushes will help, but one can only imagine how many years or decades it will take to fully recover. I hope that all stops are being pulled to ensure there is no further leakage of acid from this or other mines.

I am not a miner, but can you imagine how low the pH was in that pond to cause this? This seems totally insane to me.

At the spill site, the ph apparently dropped to 1,5. Unconfirmed though.

 

[Surgeon1]

OMG.......... pH 1.5
That sludge pit even for copper slag before the tailing pit shows they had no intent to manage it!
Yet they had powdered lime to just dump in the river!
Where are all the greenies that worry about us shooting lead containing bullets.

 

[WAB]

The managers of that mine and the government officials responsible need to go for a swim.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Absolute unmitigated disaster.

Best of luck trying to clean this mess up.

 

[WAB]

Absolute unmitigated disaster.

Best of luck trying to clean this mess up.

Where do you even start??? There won’t be enough lime in the country to neutralize it. The acid is now soaked into the river bottom. Everything in its path is dead. Being in the oil and ag chemical sector, I’ve cleaned up a lot of crap. I have no clue how you could actually fix this short of years, possibly decades, of natural attenuation.

I am not a biologist, but I would assume that a long term shift of environmental pH will result in mutations.

 

[spike.t]

Where do you even start??? There won’t be enough lime in the country to neutralize it. The acid is now soaked into the river bottom. Everything in its path is dead. Being in the oil and ag chemical sector, I’ve cleaned up a lot of crap. I have no clue how you could actually fix this short of years, possibly decades, of natural attenuation.

I am not a biologist, but I would assume that a long term shift of environmental pH will result in mutations.

A specialist in this field in SA who the guys were put in contact with and who given as much information as possible, and she also looked up as much as she could on the river system basically said....you need to dig a massive reservoir just off river...then prepare a dam/,blocking wall so that when the ph drops that water can be diverted into the holding area, then when ph heads back up close the entrance to holding area and seal it off...then start treating the water...she said bout 100 000 tons of lime would be needed as it's quite a big river system.....this obviously is impossible.....she said tge main thing is to stabilise the dam site which due to it being on a small subsidiary is doable.....then treat the water and release as its ready...but also to sort the soil etc for heavy metals etc....but it that's not done correctly it will cause even more of a fkup and also long term problems....the area can't be cleaned correctly due to the rains making it nearly impossible to use heavy plant equipment in proximity to the rivers.....so it happened at the worst time of the year......she also said dumping lime into the river as the Chinese arseholes are doing at various points will create big environmental problems that will be ongoing....so fk knows how this shitstorm will pan out.....and I wish I could have done that in a voice message...as am trying to have a beer..