Despite legacy court case, Zambian Vedanta mine pollution continues
The Zambian government is investigating a chemical spill in its Copperbelt Province allegedly linked to Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), owned by U.K.-based multinational Vedanta Resources. Residents in Chingola district told Mongabay they observed discoloration of the Kafue River and fish die-off on Sept. 28, raising fresh concerns about the environmental and social impacts of mining […]
The Zambian government is probing a chemical spill in the Copperbelt Province linked to Konkola Copper Mines, a subsidiary of U.K.-based Vedanta Resources. Locals in Chingola reported discoloration of the Kafue River and a fish kill on September 28, highlighting ongoing environmental and social concerns regarding mining activities in a key copper-producing region of Zambia.
According to Gilbert Siame, Zambia's Green Economy and Environment minister, the incident stemmed from a leaking pipe at the mine's tailings leach plant and an overflow from the company's pollution control dam outside Chingola. "The pollution control dam was full, that's why it spilled," said Eugene Mulenga, a human rights activist coordinating with caritas.
Residents consume this water due to lack of alternatives. Post-spill testing by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), KCM, and Mulonga Water Supply and Sanitation Company detected increased turbidity and conductivity in the Kafue River downstream. In response to the spill, KCM denied responsibility, claiming they reported the incident to ZEMA and requested a factual investigation.
Mongabay attempted to contact the company for comment but received no reply prior to publication. Siame stated that authorities are still analyzing water samples to confirm the presence of heavy metals.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
