A massive toxic spill from a tailings dam at the Chinese-owned Sino Metals mine in northern Zambia has contaminated waterways, destroyed crops and fish, and left farmers struggling to survive, prompting 176 farmers to file an $80bn lawsuit in what many see as a test of Africa’s ability to hold China accountable.
The government estimates at least 50,000 tonnes of acidic waste spilled into tributaries of the Kafue River, though environmentalists say the true figure could be far higher, and experts warn that “failure to deal with the situation may be catastrophic.”
While the Chinese embassy disputes the scale of the damage and says compensation has been paid to 454 households, affected farmers report hunger, illness and contaminated soil, with some receiving as little as $700 in compensation. Analysts say the crisis exposes deeper tensions in China-Africa relations, complicated by Zambia’s estimated $5bn debt to China, even as officials insist there is “no treating them with kid gloves here.”