A Chinese mining company is accused of covering up the extent of a major toxic spill in Zambia

A Chinese mining company is accused of covering up the extent of a major toxic spill in Zambia World Sep 1, 2025 6:29 PM EDT

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — A Chinese-owned mining company has been accused of covering up the extent of a disastrous toxic spill in Zambia that polluted a major river that millions rely on with cyanide and arsenic.

The spill happened in February when part of a dam that held waste from the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine collapsed, allowing it to flow into the Kafue River that runs through the heart of Zambia. Sino-Metals Leach Zambia is a subsidiary of the state-run China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group.

An environmental cleanup company says that it was contracted by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia to investigate the accident. It said its two-month investigation found th