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Poor structural integrity of the dam embankments and the absence of a protective liner to prevent seepage into underground water led to the collapse of a tailings dam in Mwense District, Luapula Province, according to preliminary government findings.
Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Mike Mposha, has warned that Mukabamo Copper Mines Limited will be held fully accountable for the tailings dam failure that released alkaline mining waste into the environment.
According to a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday, the incident occurred on November 23, 2025, at the company’s facility in the Chebele area of Kashiba Chiefdom, involving a tailings dam operated by Ezed Mining Limited.
“My Ministry will ensure that Mukabamo Copper Mines Limited is held fully accountable and all appropriate punitive, corrective and restoration measures are enforced in line with the Act. We will continue to monitor the situation to ensure full accountability and restoration to the affected environment and communities,” Mposha said.
He noted that the mine was granted environmental approval by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) in February 2023 and holds Small-Scale Mining Licence No. 29763-HQ-SML.
In response to the breach, the Minister said ZEMA had issued an Environmental Restoration Order compelling the mine to immediately cease operations and undertake cleanup of all affected areas.
“Prior to the clean-up process, the company will be required to engage an independent and competent assessor to conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine the full extent of the pollution. The findings of this assessment will guide the restoration measures to be undertaken,” Mposha said.
He added that under the Polluter Pays Principle enshrined in the Environmental Management Act of 2011, Mukabamo Copper Mines would also shoulder the full cost of both the assessment and the rehabilitation works.
Read More: Mukabamo Copper Mine operations suspended following tailings dam collapse
Mposha said that as part of an inter-agency response, the Mwense District Administration had been sensitizing communities and supplying safe drinking water to affected households, with all costs borne by the company.
“ZEMA and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock have collected samples for analysis, with detailed investigations still ongoing. I wish to reassure the nation that no fatalities have been recorded as a result of this incident,” he said.
Recently, the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development suspended all operations at Mukabamo Copper Mine following the tailings dam collapse.
Preliminary investigations by the Ministry’s Mine Safety Department revealed that the mine had failed to comply with a compliance order issued in March, which required all mining companies to adhere to sound environmental management standards.
Investigators also found that the dam’s design plans were never formally approved and that the collapse resulted from substandard engineering during its construction.
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