Environmental concerns are affecting China's mining activities again. Zijin Mining Group was required to shut down a copper plant in Shanghang in the Fujian province after a team of government investigators found a substantial leakage of waste water on July 3, 2101.
The 9,100 cubic meters of waste water which contained acidic copper ran into a nearby river.
Now the company is reported to have plugged a new leak on the 16th after another 500 cubic meters of waste spilled into the river.
The plant manager, deputy plant manager and the environment safety officer of the Zijinshan Copper Mine were suspended from duty are are being held by the police. As per the statement made by Zijin The waste water was under control by July 18, 2010.
Zijin Mining is one of the largest Chinese gold producers in China. It operates the Zijinshan Gold Mine, the largest open pit gold mine in China, and other three gold mines, accounting for over 20% of China's total gold production.