"LUSAKA, Zambia — 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 that the disaster resulted in the release of 1.5 million tons of toxic material — at least 30 times more than Sino-Metals admitted at the time."

Jacob Zimba and Gerald Imray reports for the Associated Press September 1, 2025. [2]