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Zambia denies health risk flagged by US Embassy over acid spill

Zambia denied that an acid spill six months ago in its copper mining region still poses a serious risk to health, just a day after U.S. Embassy restricted travel for U.S. government officials due to widespread contamination.

In February, a tailings pond at a Chinese copper processing plant failed, releasing 50,000 cubic meters of acidic slurry in nearby rivers.

The government of the Southern African country has said that there is no need to be alarmed and has taken steps to reduce acidity in affected areas by using lime.

At a recent press conference, Cornelius Mweetwa, a government spokesperson, said that laboratory results showed that pH levels (acidity levels) had returned to normal, and that heavy metal concentrations were steadily declining. This meant that any immediate danger for human, animal, and plant life was averted.

Collins Nzovu, Zambia's minister of water and sanitation, said that the country would be in touch with the United States to discuss the issues raised.

The U.S. Health Alert on Wednesday stated that the acid spill has polluted the water and soil surrounding the town of Chambishi, where the plant is situated and that contaminants may also become airborne.

Mweetwa stated that the company operating the plant, Sino Metals Leach Zambia has fully cooperated with the government, and pays for mitigation measures.

Sino Metals Leach Zambia spokesperson did not answer questions Thursday. The company said it had nothing more to say about the government's remarks on the acid spill.

(source: Reuters)