Mining Company’s Warning to Evacuate Not Sufficient to Protect Congolese Communities from Looming Dam Disaster

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

According to sources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, mining company officials say a mine waste storage pond at a huge cobalt and copper mine could fail at any time. 

Tenke Fungurume Mining warned that the coming rainy season could cause a collapse and dangerous flooding at their facilities in Kibalasani. The company reportedly told residents of Manomapia to plan to evacuate if a collapse occurred.

“Communities should never have to find out about dangers after they are already imminent. This puts lives at risk,” said Jan Morrill, International Mining Senior Manager at Earthworks. “Valuing and protecting lives means emergency planning that gives the communities living next to the mine a seat at the table. Their safety should always be the priority.”  

Any threat of collapse demands an urgent response from the mining company. 

Landslides and floods of toxic mud and polluted water from collapsed mine waste facilities have taken lives, destroyed homes, and polluted land and water in downstream communities. Increased rainfall increases the risk of these catastrophic failures.

Safety must be the first priority when managing mine waste. Mining companies should have zero tolerance for dangerous dam failures and loss of life. Companies must ensure that trained professional support will be provided during an emergency and will reach all affected populations in a timely manner.

We call on TFM to immediately take action to ensure the safety of people and the environment. 

• Immediately begin securing or conducting a controlled drainage of the facility, and disclose the timeline publicly.
• Install an early warning system, evacuation sites, and an alternative supply of drinking water and other necessities. The company should bear all costs and collaborate with communities at every step.
• In the event of a failure, take all steps necessary to save lives and provide humanitarian aid, and assume the entirety of the cost of fully compensating affected residents and cleaning up the site. Ensure that displaced people are adequately supported.
• Disclose all measures taken to remediate past pollution in response to civil society concerns, including the installation of sensors to put an end to sulphur dioxide pollution.

We call on the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to address the threat.

• Immediately dispatch an independent inspection mission.
• Commission an environmental audit of the watershed and past pollution incidents. Publish findings, impose corrective measures, and penalize any violations.
• Involve civil society and local communities in monitoring risk management.

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