Zambia presses China for more compensation after toxic spill in Kitwe copper mine

Zambia's Vice-President Mutale Nalumango says the compensation offered to communities "may not be all".

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The spill of highly acidic mine-waste laden with toxic heavy metals happened in February when a dam that held waste from the Sino-Metals Leach Zambia copper mine collapsed, polluting a key river that is a major source of drinking water.

The firm apologised and pledged to compensate the victims but Zambia's Vice-President Mutale Nalumango says that "may not be all", adding that the safety of Zambians was "non-negotiable".

Some embassies have warned their citizens to avoid the area due to the health risks.

Sino-Metals Leach Zambia mine is a subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group, which is owned by the Chinese government.