4 months after DRC mine spill, residents remain impacted – Mongabay
4 months after DRC mine spill, residents remain impacted – Mongabay
- On Nov. 4, 2025, an industrial effluents spill from Congo Dongfang International Mining (CDM), a copper and cobalt plant, contaminated several neighborhoods in Lubumbashi, in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, affecting crops, access to drinking water and residents’ health. - Months later, Mongabay visited three neighborhoods affected by the spill to gather on-the-ground accounts of continued impacts to crops, water and health. - The government announced health assistance measures, treatment, the launch of a compensation process for victims and a collective settlement of $6 million. - According to a human rights organization, the amount is insufficient given the health damage, and residents who speak to Mongabay say they fear they will not be included in compensation and health plans. More than four months after a wastewater spill [https://fr.mongabay.com/2025/11/rdc-une-fuite-deffluents-industriels-menace-la-vie-des-habitants-de-lubumbahsi/] from a mine in Lubumbashi, a city located in the DRC’s copper and cobalt belt, residents say they are still facing impacts from the pollution. The spill on Nov. 4, 2025, originating from the retention pond of the mining company Congo Dongfang International Mining (CDM), a subsidiary of the Chinese giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Industry Co., Ltd., flooded several outlying neighborhoods and polluted local waterways. The incident led to an initial three-month suspension [https://archive.ph/RauCF], requiring the repair of environmental damage and compensation for affected residents. However, to date, the government has not yet officially authorized the company to resume operations after the three-month suspension. Following the findings [https://archive.ph/2026.03.04-073450/https:/www.facebook.com/100064115946720/posts/1368641368616382/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=80rIIBtEujEChV2Q] of the interministerial commission of inquiry into the environmental incident, released on Feb. 13, the government announced health assistance measures, treatment efforts as well as the launch of a compensation process for victims. However, public information remains limited regarding the concrete implementation of these compensation payments and the exact number of beneficiaries. Some residents fear they will not be included and highlight that they have continued to suffer damage to their crops, limited access to clean water and health impacts for the past several months. Mongabay visited three neighborhoods affected by the spill to gather on-the-ground accounts. When contacted by Mongabay for further information, the CDM and various representatives of the Haut-Katanga and national authorities did not respond. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26190606%2F18_CDM_Spill_06_EN_A-scaled.jpg] ### Crops in the Golf-les-Battants neighborhood According to residents who speak with Mongabay, in some community gardens, crops stopped growing after the acidic water flowed through. This is the case in the Golf neighborhood, near the Kalubwe bridge and not far from the Lubumbashi River, where a significant fish kill was reported. At first glance, the cabbages that were green in November 2025 now have damage or leaves with holes. Similarly, amaranth and sweet potato leaves are damaged. Residents now observe an area of brownish stagnant water, due to the lack of drainage to carry away rainwater and the area’s proximity to the river. Some fields were abandoned. The farmers say they are discouraged by the potential soil contamination and the losses they have suffered. “The cabbages, amaranth and other crops are damaged. Those planted after the spill, particularly the corn, are also showing stunted growth,” says Monica Kalonda, who manages a vegetable garden. Near a poorly maintained vegetable field in the Golf district. Women farmers express concerns about possible contamination of soil quality. Image by Ruth Kutemba. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26190712%2FWhatsApp-Image-2026-03-17-at-22.44.47.jpeg] Near a poorly maintained vegetable field in the Golf district. Women farmers express concerns about possible contamination of soil quality. Image by Ruth Kutemba. ### Skin irritation in Camp Scout, Kamisepe II Flori Kanyana, a resident of Camp Scout in Kamisepe II, in the Lubumbashi satellite town, walked through the acidic water, thinking it was rainwater. He now fears for his health. “Since the CDM incident, I can no longer stand wearing closed-toe shoes on long walks. My feet quickly start to tingle, as if my skin were getting irritated under the scorching sun,” he confides. To relieve this pain, he now wears sandals, as they leave his feet exposed to the air and reduce the irritation. He explains that, in principle, he should see a doctor and undergo tests to understand the cause of his pain and receive treatment. “But I can’t afford it,” he says. Un pont à Camp Scout, à l’intérieur de Kamisepé II (Kasapa), Lubumbashi. Image de Ruth Kutemba. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26190653%2FWhatsApp-Image-2026-03-17-at-22.42.53.jpeg] Un pont à Camp Scout, à l’intérieur de Kamisepé II (Kasapa), Lubumbashi. Image de Ruth Kutemba. A cornfield near the Lubumbashi River, in an area where residents are expressing environmental concerns. Image by Ruth Kutemba. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26190731%2FEau-stagnante-a-teinte-brunatre-observee-a-proximite-dun-champ-de-mais-pres-de-la-riviere-Lubumbashi-dans-une-zone-ou-des-habitants-expriment-des-preoccupations-environnementales-scaled-1.jpg] A cornfield near the Lubumbashi River, in an area where residents are expressing environmental concerns. Image by Ruth Kutemba. ### Abandoned wells in Kamayibwe In Kamayibwe, in the Kasapa area, we find an abandoned field and a well dug directly into the ground, surrounded by dense vegetation. It is uncovered, so contaminated water seeped into it. Its owner, Moise Mukaba, used it to wash himself. “A few days after the incident, I washed myself with this water, thinking it had returned to normal. I didn’t know it could still be dangerous to my health. While bathing, I felt a tingling and burning sensation on my skin. When I told my landlord about it, he forbade me from using it, fearing it might still be contaminated,” he says. Also in Kamayibwe, Virginie Sungu Kayembe says the water from her well is now unusable. “This water used to be useful for household chores. Now, it’s not much good for anything except washing shoes and cleaning the toilets,” she explains. A well that has become unsuitable for domestic uses, according to the inhabitants, who mention a degradation of water after the passage of acidic waters. Image by Ruth Kutemba. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26190715%2FUn-puits-devenu-impropre-aux-usages-domestiques-dapres-les-habitants-qui-evoquent-une-degradation-de-leau-apres-le-passage-deaux-acides-1200x800-1.jpg] A well that has become unsuitable for domestic uses, according to the inhabitants, who mention a degradation of water after the passage of acidic waters. Image by Ruth Kutemba. She says she is hesitant to dig another well on her plot because people in her neighborhood have told her the soil is already contaminated. When contacted via messaging by Mongabay, Charles Tsheya Mulopwe, an agricultural engineer working at the Higher Institute of Social Studies in Lubumbashi, warns: “Mining waste contains harmful substances such as sulfides and cyanides … which can degrade ecosystems, destroy biodiversity and also harm human health, for example, if vegetables grown in this soil absorb heavy metals. These toxic substances can then enter the body through food and cause various diseases.” He adds, “When mining practices are not part of a sustainable approach, the damage is catastrophic. This mining pollution impacts the soil, water, forests and biodiversity.” ### Health effects in late December? Different accounts from sources in various neighborhoods say they noticed an uptick in impacts on Dec. 31, 2025. In an interview with Mongabay, they express concern that these might be the lingering effects of the November spill in waterways or that another acid spill from CDM may have occurred. Among those interviewed, a source who requests anonymity for security reasons indicates that the plant continued some of its operations despite the government’s initial suspension order. However, Mongabay was unable to verify these claims with the company or with local authorities. Monica Kalonda, who lives next to a river, explains that the water, which overflowed on Dec. 31, entered her home and caused a skin reaction. “My 1-year-and-3-month-old daughter’s bed got wet. We thought it was [just] rainwater [that caused the river to flood]. Three days later, she developed rashes on her body and in her hair. We thought it might be measles. At the hospital, we were told that the water contains acid. Due to a lack of resources, we were unable to conduct a thorough examination.” Field of corn and market garden crops in a plot. The farmers mention a stagnation of crops that they attribute to possible soil degradation. Image by Ruth Kutemba. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26191206%2FCapture-decran-le-2026-03-26-a-15.11.49.png] Field of corn and market garden crops in a plot. The farmers mention a stagnation of crops that they attribute to possible soil degradation. Image by Ruth Kutemba. She says she believes this water came from the mining company, which discharged it during the rain. If the water had come solely from the rain or flooded river, she says, her child likely would not have developed this type of reaction. Dominique Masanka, a resident of Camp Scout, offers a similar account. And Moise Kalonda, a resident of Kamisepe, a neighborhood located near the CDM mining company, says he felt effects in late December: “This water touched my shoes and I felt a burning sensation,” he says. Another resident of Kamisepe explains that a leak that occurred on Dec. 31 once again affected the well and his crops. ### The state of compensation for victims According to some of the victims, when the minister of mines visited the site of the tragedy in November 2025, he announced that the victims would be compensated. In January, according to the Institute for Human Rights Research (IRDH), the minister of mines ordered the company to pay $6 million in compensation and imposed a penalty on it. However, the amount of the compensation is “largely insufficient in light of the damages.” Lubumbashi River, at the level of the Kalubwe bridge, where significant fish mortality was reported in November 2025. Image by Ruth Kutemba. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimgs.mongabay.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F20%2F2026%2F03%2F26190724%2FRiviere-Lubumbashi-au-niveau-du-pont-Kalubwe-ou-une-importante-mortalite-de-poissons-avait-ete-signalee-en-novembre-scaled-1.jpg] Lubumbashi River, near the Kalubwe bridge, where significant fish mortality was reported in November 2025. Image by Ruth Kutemba. Local communities are demanding $100 million in compensation for exposure to endocrine disruptors that can pose irreversible and transgenerational risks, the IRDH explains [https://www.irdh.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Communique-de-presse-001-du-16.02.2026.-Reaction-Pollution-CDM.pdf]. These funds are earmarked for the creation of a medical reference center for mining-related pathologies, which will include, among other things, coverage of chronic health impacts and, in the long term, specialized medical monitoring, therapeutic care, training for health care professionals on mining impacts and the establishment of an epidemiological database to protect future generations. The institute estimated that more than 2.5 million cubic meters (88 million cubic feet) of acid spilled in populated neighborhoods and that a high concentration of heavy metals, exceeding international standards, will pose health risks, particularly regarding endocrine disruptors. Meanwhile, on Feb. 13, 2026, the interministerial commission released a report [https://archive.ph/2026.03.04-073450/https:/www.facebook.com/100064115946720/posts/1368641368616382/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=80rIIBtEujEChV2Q] on the incident. A total of 670 people were treated at Sendwe Hospital for symptoms related to exposure to contaminated water. The report also mentions assistance provided to 350 affected households, 30,000 liters (8,000 gallons) of drinking water distributed daily and planned drilling in the affected neighborhoods. Having not yet been identified as victims by the government team, the residents who speak with Mongabay are still awaiting health and humanitarian assistance. According to Déogratias Ilunga Yolola Talwa, a professor and researcher at the University of Lubumbashi specializing in mining and environmental governance, following the audit that assessed the extent of the pollution, the company must implement a decontamination and ecological restoration plan in accordance with the obligations set forth in the Mining Code [https://mines.gouv.cd/fr/wp-content/uploads/simple-file-list/reglement_minier/reglement_minier/REGLEMENT-MINIER-DE-LA-RDC-REVISE-AU-08-jJUIN-2018.pdf]. Finally, dialogue with local communities is necessary to improve environmental governance and restore trust between the company, the state and the people. “In practice, in the DRC, several mining companies conduct these studies, primarily to meet the administrative requirements necessary to obtain an operating permit,” he tells Mongabay. But once operations begin, he says, the environmental protection commitments and measures outlined in these documents can often be neglected and rarely enforced. This article was first published in French [https://fr.mongabay.com/2026/03/quatre-mois-apres-des-deversements-chimiques-dune-mine-en-rdc-des-habitants-restent-sinistres/] on March 24, 2026. Banner image: Lubumbashi River, at the level of the Kalubwe bridge, where significant fish mortality was reported in November 2025. Image by Ruth Kutemba. > Mining spill highlights need to protect Zambia’s vital Kafue River & its fish [https://news.mongabay.com/2025/07/mining-spill-highlights-need-to-protect-zambias-vital-kafue-river-its-fish/] Latest podcast episode: ‘We will not know what we lost’: Conservation fallout a year after USAID shutdown. Listen here: Feedback: Use this form [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZAR8uRBoWCipFG-c7GYD0AWdn-qKvk8Z0DwpgU3bhi6Zifg/viewform] to send a message to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page. [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsecure.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2F9531f703a49264638b21e9cee471685031b1a88a2bad9fbe9fb1cc3a216071d4%3Fs%3D32%26d%3Didenticon%26r%3Dg] [https://lemmy.ml/api/v3/image_proxy?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimage2url.com%2Fr2%2Fdefault%2Fimages%2F1774217796576-6c8670b3-cef3-4848-8407-af1ce8e136cd.jpeg]
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