Chinese mine causes environmental disaster in zambia on the kafue river

[spike.t]

On 18th Feb a tailings dam at a Chinese mine broke releasing a huge amount of contaminated water into a tributary of the kafue river....it reached us yesterday...we are approx 200 kms down river....the river has foam on it and turns a green colour from the small green particles floating in the water....huge amounts of fish can be seen dead or gasping for oxygen in the shallow water near the banks.....government has cut water supplies to towns , and warned people not to eat the dead fish.....crops that were irrigated using the water have been contaminated and poisoned....this morning another farm roughly 40 kms down river reported it had reached them....so now over 240 kms from mine and still poisoning fish....and obviously causing mayhem with anything in the ecosystem being poisoned.....

NOTICE
Kitwe, 20th February, 2025
WATER SUPPLY SHUTDOWN - KITWE
Nkana Water Supply and Sanitation Company wishes to inform its esteemed customers in Kitwe that the water supply to the City of Kitwe has been shut down today 20th February 2025 on suspicion of contamination in the Kafue River, the source of our raw water.
The Company has continued monitoring the situation. Please be advised that the water that was supplied before the shutdown is safe for consumption.
We would like to assure our esteemed customers that the situation is being monitored closely and updates will be provided periodically.
The inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.
Issued by Public Relations

I have numerous videos including the toxic water flooding out of the dam but can't post as not linked to anything...here some photos but don't give the real idea of the scale of this disaster...

 

[spike.t]

Will add photos as I can

 

[spike.t]

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Unbelievably horrible. Are there any more rains coming?

 

[ZG47]

Not good. This is obviously a large company with sufficient resources to avoid such problems.

 

[leslie hetrick]

believe me the chinese don,t give a rats ass about what they do to any ones health or environment. any thing done with the chinese, will end with you on the short end of the stick.

 

[spike.t]

From a friend way down river who is obviously a lot smarter than me to work it out

As a matter of interest - I googled where Sino metals is and if I have their location correct, they are approx 204km (from Takeri camp) from the entry point into the tributary which flows into the Kafue and there is an elevation drop of approx 123m.

It took approx 5 days to reach you = 1.7km/hr (it's doing about 40.8km/day on avg).

I expect it to hit us on Friday afternoon

 

[spike.t]

 

[spike.t]

 

[spike.t]

Letter that has been drafted by a river conservation group who operate on our stretch of the kafue...to be sent to ministers..media etc..

Subject: Urgent Action Required: Environmental Impact of the Acid Spill from Sino Metals Tailings Dam

I am writing to bring to your immediate attention the severe environmental impact resulting from the recent acid spill from the tailings dam at Sino Metals in Zambia. It is imperative that this issue is addressed with the urgency and seriousness it demands.

According to reports and observations, the damage caused by this spill is significantly more extensive than currently acknowledged. The Kafue River, a vital water source and ecological system, has suffered substantial contamination, impacting its flora and fauna. The effects of this disaster have already traveled over 200 kilometers downstream, continuously affecting the river's ecosystem and the communities that rely on it.

Moreover, the secondary and subsequent wash from the continuing rains is just as important, if not more so, due to the fines and heavy metals released during the spill. These materials, now exposed, will oxidize further, exacerbating pH issues in the ecosystem. This pattern has been observed in previous acid drainage emergencies, underscoring the critical need for immediate action.

It is imperative that bunds and temporary dams are constructed, accompanied by the deployment of pumps, to prevent further major issues from runoff. Additionally, all fines that have escaped and are yet to enter the waterways must be effectively dozed and loaded out to mitigate further damage.

As a matter of interest, we investigated the location of Sino Metals and, if we have identified it correctly, it is approximately 240 kilometers from where the acid has now reached. The spill began from an elevation that decreases by approximately 123 meters as it flows into the tributary that feeds the Kafue. It took approximately five days for the spill to reach the Mpongwe area, indicating a movement rate of about 1.7 km/hr or approximately 40.8 km/day on average.

Local wildlife and plant species are experiencing widespread distress and mortality, disrupting the ecological balance. This ongoing environmental degradation poses a threat to biodiversity and the livelihoods of many individuals dependent on the river's resources.

The consequences of this incident are far-reaching, and immediate coordinated action is required to mitigate the damage and prevent further environmental deterioration. We urge the media and relevant governmental bodies to increase transparency about the scale of the damage and to invest in restoration efforts promptly.

Furthermore, we call for a thorough investigation to hold accountable those responsible and ensure strict enforcement of environmental regulations to prevent future occurrences.

Your attention to this matter and swift action could make a critical difference in safeguarding the affected ecosystems and communities.

Thank you for your understanding and prompt attention to this urgent issue.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Lime will not restore that river. Unfortunately it may take a long while to be 100% safe

 

[spike.t]

Apologies for double posting some photos....wifi being a dick....when I looked it didn't show when I posted first time....

 

[eatmore-pbj]

I'm sorry Mike. Even a poachers boat would be a better sight than you have now. Once the Chinese finish raping Zambia they will leave.

 

[CZDiesel]

I only have two things to say and I apologize for my French…
Fu**ing Chinese! Fu**ing Biden!!!
That POS Biden let the Chinese run like a fast moving cancer throughout the whole planet just to stick a couple bucks in his kids pockets! Now people like you are paying for it!

 

[Russ16]

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.

 

[cls]

Sorry to see this, Mike. Don't expect the Chinese to do anything about this. This crap will continue to happen as long as they are allowed to have unfettered access to developing countries.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I was just reading up on copper mine leaching. And the damage can last for decades

 

[CZDiesel]

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.

Yes in Africa but Biden has let them into Central and SouthAmerica and other strategic areas like the Polar water ways! Biden was the open flood gates for China and now we are all paying for it so his kid can smoke more crack!

 

[fourfive8]

Not good Hope everyone is paying attention!
Reinforces the underlying reason the Canadian owned Pebble Mine project development was stopped in Bristol Bay drainage AK… hopefully for good.

 

[Pheroze]

Has the company started any cleanup operations? This is terrible. We had a big one here in the Yukon recently.