US Edition6 Months After Toxic Mine Spill in Northern Zambia, US Embassy Orders Personnel Out of the Area
NORTHERN ZAMBIA, COPPERBELT REGION, AUG 6 – The evacuation follows a spill of 50 million liters of toxic waste into the Kafue River, with carcinogenic substances detected, impacting millions downstream, the U.S. Embassy said.
- The U.S. Embassy in Lusaka ordered all U.S. personnel to leave northern Zambia on August 6, 2025, due to toxic contamination from a February mine spill at a Chinese-owned site near Kitwe and Chambishi.
- The spill occurred when a tailings dam containing acidic waste and heavy metals collapsed, releasing approximately 50 million liters of hazardous substances into the Kafue River and posing risks to local communities and downstream ecosystems.
- Environmental activists demanded accountability from Sino-Metals, which pledged compensation and cleanup, while Zambia's government reported acidity levels normalized after lime treatment and claimed no current health risks.
- The U.S. Embassy issued a warning about the presence of toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, cyanide, and uranium, emphasizing the dangers posed by contamination of water, soil, and airborne dust. Local health centers have reported cases showing symptoms that may be linked to exposure to these harmful substances.
- This crisis underscores the dangers of unregulated mining, prompting calls for urgent cleanup, long-term monitoring, and protective action to safeguard human health, agriculture, and the environment in Zambia's Copperbelt region.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Zambia says mining area hit by acid spill safe from contamination
It followed a US embassy alert Wednesday which warned of 'hazardous and carcinogenic substances' in Chambisi, an area in northern Zambia affected by a spill from a copper processing plant in February
Zambia Plays Down Health Risks After US Warning on Mine Disaster
Zambia played down the potential health risks stemming from an environmental disaster at a mine controlled by a state-owned Chinese firm, after the US ordered the immediate withdrawal of its officials from the southern African nation’s second-biggest city.
Zambia denies health risks flagged by US embassy over acid spill
LUSAKA - Zambia denied on Thursday that an acid spill in its copper-mining region six months ago still posed a serious health risk, a day after the U.S. embassy restricted travel to the area for U.S. officials citing widespread contamination. Read more at straitstimes.com.
6 months after toxic mine spill in northern Zambia, US Embassy orders personnel out of the area (World)
The United States Embassy in Zambia ordered all U.S. government personnel Wednesday to leave a region in the north of the country affected by a toxic spill from a Chinese-owned mine that happened six months ago. The embassy said in an alert on social media that new information revealed that 'hazardo...
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