Chinese mining firms sued over toxic acid spill pose dilemma for Zambian government

Farmers’ US$80 billion compensation bid leaves the authorities trying to balance good relations with Beijing and needs of local communities

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Local farmers have described the impact of a tailings dam collapse about 300km north of Zambian capital Lusaka as an “ecological catastrophe”. Photo: AP

Published: 3:00pm, 6 Oct 2025Updated: 4:08pm, 6 Oct 2025

An US$80 billion lawsuit filed by Zambian farmers against two Chinese mining companies over a major toxic acid spill has produced a major diplomatic headache for the southern African country as it tries to balance its long-standing relationship with Beijing against the needs of local communities.

For decades, the two countries have maintained strong political and economic ties, and China has funded multibillion-dollar Zambian infrastructure projects ranging from airports and railways to dams.

Zambia relies heavily on this partnership, with Chinese companies playing a dominant role in the production and processing of its copper and cobalt.

But the lawsuit filed by 176 Zambians against Sino-Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining – two local subsidiaries of state-owned Chinese firms – alleges that a tailings dam wall collapse in February released acidic waste into streams, rivers and farms near the town of Kitwe, about 285km (180 miles) north of the capital Lusaka.

The farmers, who have termed the event an “ecological catastrophe”, claim the spill violated their constitutional rights and destroyed their livelihoods by contaminating their crops and livestock as well as creating health problems for local residents.

The petitioners further claim they were not immediately warned of the danger, forcing them to live in a contaminated environment for seven months.

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