Copper mine dump collapse kills at least 10 miners in Zambia

At least 10 people were killed and another 10 injured after a dumping site for copper mining waste collapsed in the town of Kitwe in Zambia's Copperbelt province, police said on Wednesday.

The latest incident happened at Black Mountain where artisanal miners have taken to re-mining the waste site for copper and other metals.

"The incident happened this morning, and at least 10 people have been confirmed dead," Copperbelt police chief Charity Katanga said by phone from Kitwe, 400 km north of the capital Lusaka.

The main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) said the deaths could have been avoided.

"This was a disaster waiting to happen. A lot of people have expressed concern about poor safety at the site, but the minister of mines insisted it was safe," said UPND spokesman Charles Kakoma.

The government said it would investigate the incident.

"It's premature and unhelpful at this stage to apportion blame. The president [Edgar Lungu] has sent the minister of mines to get to the ground and establish what happened and ensure enhanced safety measures," presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said.

Concerns about safety measures

Zambia is Africa's second largest copper producer and houses operations of many global mining companies including Vedanta , Barrick Gold Corp and Glencore

Glencore's Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) has been forced to halt production in recent years due to similar fatal incidents in the copper-rich area, which is also know for illegal mining around the dumpsites.

In February, the government's mining investment arm gave a 10 percent stake in the waste site to small-scale miners to empower surrounding communities riven by unemployment and poverty.

There remain, however, serious concerns about safety measures at the site, which continues to suffer periodic collapses.