Snapshot: On 12 September 2025, 176 residents of Kalusale and Chambishi, in Zambia, filed a constitutional lawsuit before the High Court of Zambia against Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining, both subsidiaries of China Nonferrous Metal Mining. They seek environmental remediation and monitoring, compensation and emergency support following tailings dams collapse. The company called the lawsuit “unfounded”. The case is ongoing

Sino-Metals Leach Zambia owns and operates a copper mine located within NFC Africa Mining’s surface area, in Chambishi, in the Kalulushi District of the Copperbelt, Zambia. On 18 February 2025, six tailings dams collapsed, releasing between 50 million and 900,000 million litres of highly acidic and toxic waste, including heavy metals. The spill contaminated local water sources and soil, poisoned livestock, devastated farmlands and crops and posed ongoing health risks to nearby communities. The affected farmers allege that the collapse could affect around 300,000 fisheries-based households in the copper-mining region.

The local government confirmed that the heavy metal contamination is beyond the safe limits set by the World Health Organisation.

On 12 September 2025, 176 residents who are mostly small‑scale farmers, supported by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), filed a constitutional action (No. 2025/HP/1285) before the High Court of Zambia against Sino-Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining, both subsidiaries of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (CNMC). The palintiffs argue that the companies violated their rights guaranteed under the Zambia Constitution, the Environmental Management Act, the Mines and Mineral Development Act, and the Mineral Regulations Commission Act. Specifically, the plaintiffs based their lawsuit on the companies alleged failure to clean up the toxic spill, on ongoing exposure to hazardous waste, and on the alleged violations of their human rights to life, property, and a clean and healthy environment.

As a remedy, the claimants request the immediate payment of USD200 million for an emergency fund, USD80 billion for reparation and remediation fund managed by the government, financial compensation for all the harm suffered, and implementation of a comprehensive action plan for environmental restoration.

The company stated that “the incident has not caused any significant impact on the surrounding environment or community” and that the lawsuit was unfounded.

On 31 October 2025, Sino Metals sought to have the lawsuit thrown out, claiming “that the case was filed using the wrong procedure, that the constitutional issues were “too remote” from environmental harm, or that the action was premature without a completed environmental impact assessment”.

On 17 November 2025, the High Court dismissed all preliminary grounds raised by Sino Metals and a hearing took place on 10 December 2025.

The case is ongoing.