MAC: Mines and Communities

Police Detain Zijin Mining Official as 'Suspect' in Probe of Toxic Spill

Published by MAC on 2010-08-08
Source: Bloomberg, English Eastday

The problems for Zijin over their terrible waste leak continue with the arrest of a company vice president. For previous coverage see:- http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=10242

 

ESPAÑOL

Police Detain Zijin Mining Official as 'Suspect' in Probe of Toxic Spill

Bloomberg News

28 July 2010

Zijin Mining Group Co., blamed for the industry's worst waste leakage in China in two years, said company Vice President Chen Jiahong was detained yesterday by the police.

Chen, formerly head of the Zijinshan gold and copper mines in Fujian province, was held as a suspect in relation to "the major pollution incident," according to a statement to Hong Kong's stock exchange today.

China's biggest gold producer was forced to shut its copper plant at Zijinshan this month after acid-laced waste spilled from the site, poisoning a river. The company said yesterday that it had also agreed to limit production at a gold mine in the area to reduce environmental risks.

Zijin rose 3 percent to close at HK$5.14 in Hong Kong today, before the statement. The stock gained 2.5 percent to 5.86 yuan in Shanghai.

The company said it received a notice today saying that Chen had been detained.

--Judy Chen. Editors: Paul Panckhurst.


Zijin's vice president is held over toxic spill

Shanghai English Eastday

30 July 2010

Police in Fujian Province has detained a vice president of China's leading gold producer after a toxic spill at one of its copper plants killed thousands of tons of fish.

Zijin Mining Group confirmed yesterday that its Vice President Chen Jiahong has been under detention since Tuesday.

The company was blamed for the industry's worst environmental accident in years.

More than 9,100 cubic meters of acidic waste water spilled from the company's Zijinshan copper mine in Fujian's Shanghang County, polluted the Tingjiang River and killed about 1,900 tons of fish.

The leak took place on July 3, but the company waited nine days before disclosing the accident.

The company said it will provide further details after an investigation is completed.

The head of Shanghang County has been suspended. A vice head of the county has been asked to resign, and the head of the local environmental protection authority was sacked.

The polluting factory's manager, deputy manager and environmental protection officer were also detained earlier for questioning.

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