Zambia’s government is investigating a chemical leak in Copperbelt province attributed to Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), a subsidiary of the British multinational group Vedanta Resources. Residents of the Chingola area saw discolored water in the Kafue River and dead fish on September 28, reviving concerns about the environmental and social impacts of mining in one of the country’s most important copper-producing regions.
According to a statement by Minister of Green Economy and Environment Gilbert Siame, the incident was caused by a leaking pipe at KCM’s tailings leach plant and an overflow from its pollution control pond outside Chingola.
“The pollution control pond was full, which is why it overflowed,” said human rights activist Eugene Mulenga, adding that such discharges happen all the time, mainly at night, and that residents drink this water because they have no other choice.
Following the leak, tests conducted by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), KCM itself and the local water utility Mulonga Water Supply and Sanitation showed increased levels of turbidity and conductivity downstream in the Kafue River. The minister noted that authorities are still analyzing water samples to confirm the presence of heavy metals and other pollutants.
KCM, for its part, disputed its responsibility, saying that it had notified ZEMA and requested an investigation based on factual evidence. Mongabay contacted the company but had received no response by publication.
The ministry ordered KCM to carry out a comprehensive assessment of its pollution control ponds, tailings pipelines and related infrastructure to determine whether other facilities also pose an environmental risk. The ministry also said it was considering appropriate penalties under the Environmental Management Act.
For serious toxic discharges or hazardous waste violations, the fine can reach 280,000 kwacha, or approximately $14,000.
The incident adds to a long history of environmental problems in the area. KCM was at the center of a major court case in the United Kingdom following pollution in 2008. The case was settled out of court in 2021, with the company paying compensation to around 2,500 residents “without admission of liability.”
KCM, one of Zambia’s largest copper producers, is expanding and recapitalizing its operations as the government seeks to more than triple national copper production in the coming years. Vedanta Resources owns 80% of KCM. In 2019, the government placed the company in liquidation, citing tax evasion, unpaid debts, inadequate investment and environmental pollution, but the business resumed operations in 2024.
The sight of dead fish at Hippo Pool, north of Chingola, where the Kafue River narrows into a shallow valley, provides visible evidence of the consequences. For local communities, the issue is not a technical detail: it is a matter of access to clean water and survival in an area where mining activity continues to expand despite repeated incidents.
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