2025 Sino-Metals Leach Zambia dam disaster

A major environmental disaster began on 18 February 2025, when a tailings dam collapsed at a copper mine owned by a Chinese state-owned enterprise in northern Zambia, releasing approximately 50 million litres of acidic and highly toxic waste into the Kafue River ecosystem. The contamination severely impacted aquatic life, water supplies, and agricultural activities along the river, which serves as a critical water source for approximately 60% of Zambia's population.