By Anthony Choma,
Government, through the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, has announced that investigations into the Sino Metals spillage incident have been concluded.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, Dr. Hapenga Kabeta, disclosed that an independent environmental consultant engaged to assess the extent of damage to surface and groundwater quality has submitted its findings to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), which is currently reviewing the report.
Dr. Kabeta revealed this when the Swedish Ambassador to Zambia, His Excellency Mr. John Hallenborg, paid a courtesy call on him at the Ministry’s headquarters in Lusaka.
He said once ZEMA is satisfied with the review process and deems it appropriate to release the findings, all relevant stakeholders will be engaged to agree on the modalities for environmental remediation and compensation.
In February 2025, Sino Metals Leach Zambia Limited suspended operations following a dam failure at its tailings storage facility. The spillage affected the Kafue River ecosystem, causing severe impacts on aquatic life, water supplies, and agricultural activities along the river basin.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Hallenborg reiterated Sweden’s commitment to supporting sustainable mining practices in Zambia through research collaboration.
He highlighted ongoing research partnership programmes with the University of Zambia (UNZA) and the Northern Technical and Vocational Training College (NORTEC) as key initiatives aimed at strengthening skills development in the mining sector.
