A group of 176 Zambian farmers launched a staggering $80 billion lawsuit against two Chinese mining subsidiaries Friday, accusing them of a February tailings dam breach that unleashed toxic acid into rivers and farmlands near Kitwe.

The plaintiffs, represented by local advocates, claim the spill from Sino Metals Leach Zambia and NFC Africa Mining—arms of state-owned China Nonferrous Metals Mining—breached constitutional rights, devastating crops, livestock, and health in the Copperbelt hub 285 kilometers north of the capital. They seek 8,000 Zambian kwacha ($336) monthly relocation aid and escrow for damages, decrying seven months of unalerted exposure that forced families to flee contaminated zones.

China's foreign ministry rebuffed mismanagement allegations, asserting the firms "actively assumed responsibilities" and disbursed compensation, while vowing to defend "lawful rights."

Zambia's administration, which halted operations and levied a 1.5 million kwacha fine on Sino Metals, initially minimized the crisis, with Information Minister Cornelius Mweetwa advising against hitting the "panic button." Yet the suit revives memories of 2015's Konkola Copper Mines case, which reached the UK Supreme Court and secured 2021 payouts for 2,500 victims after years of litigation.

Experts like Emmanuel Matambo at the Centre for Africa-China Studies view the $80 billion ask as symbolic, unlikely to fracture ties given Zambia's dependence on Chinese loans for dams, rails, and roads. "It's expected after such damage, but deal secrecy breeds distrust," he said.

The suit has thrust the southern African nation into a diplomatic quandary as it weighs Beijing's vast investments against mounting community outrage over environmental ruin.

As the suit advances, Lusaka navigates a tightrope, balancing economic lifelines with calls for justice in a sector where spills like this one have scarred landscapes and livelihoods for decades.