Zambia Launches Major Environmental Remediation at Sino-Metals After Tailings Dam Collapse
Zambia Orders Comprehensive Clean-Up at Sino-Metals Following Tailings Dam Disaster
The Government of Zambia has officially launched a large-scale environmental remediation program at Sino-Metals Leach Limited following the collapse of Tailings Dam Number 15 in February 2025, which led to widespread contamination of local waterways.
Water and Sanitation Development Minister Collins Nzovu officiated the launch in Chambishi, emphasizing that the clean-up is not a routine corporate exercise but a critical national effort to protect water resources and safeguard the health and livelihoods of affected communities.
The 2025 dam failure released highly acidic waste into the Chambeshi Stream, the Mwambashi River, and ultimately the Kafue River, prompting a science-driven government response.
Authorities mobilized a coordinated assessment involving the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), the Water Resources Management Authority, and the Minerals Regulation Commission, alongside independent experts.
On December 19, 2025, ZEMA received a detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessment conducted by Applied Science and Technology Associates Limited.
The report found no radiological threat from uranium but highlighted significant localized pollution, including:
- Heavy-metal contamination in water, soils, and sediments
- Contaminated agricultural produce in hotspot areas
- Severe ecological damage to aquatic life and riparian vegetation
The assessment recommended urgent remediation measures such as dredging, soil stabilization, ecosystem restoration, and water treatment, forming the basis of the government-led clean-up program.
Immediate Emergency Measures
Minister Nzovu noted that Sino-Metals had already taken emergency steps under ZEMA’s supervision prior to the launch. Measures included:
- Constructing catch drains and silt traps
- Stabilizing the damaged tailings dam
- Installing real-time water and tailings monitoring systems
- Desludging the Mwambashi Stream
- Liming contaminated agricultural fields and planting trees to prevent erosion
- Neutralizing acidic tailings as required by the Minerals Regulation Commission
“These initial interventions mitigated immediate risks and laid the groundwork for the comprehensive remediation program we are initiating today,” Nzovu said, highlighting the extensive environmental and social impacts of the spill.
The minister added that heavy-metal concentrations remain above safe levels, aquatic biodiversity has been disrupted, and communities particularly in Kalusale have lost crops, fishing grounds, and access to clean water.
Commitment from Sino-Metals
Wang Jingjun, Chairman of Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, reiterated the company’s commitment to full environmental restoration. “Since the incident, we have worked closely with the government to implement all directives.
This clean-up program reflects our dedication to restoring the environment in line with independent scientific assessments and regulatory requirements,” he stated.
The initiative marks a significant step in Zambia’s environmental management and mining oversight, combining government oversight, scientific guidance, and corporate responsibility to address one of the most serious mining-related environmental incidents in the country in recent years.
