Zijin, China’s largest gold producer, leaked waste water containing acidic copper into Fujian Province’s Ting River on July 3. Now, three executives have been criminally detained in connection with the acid spill. From Caixin:
Three executives from the Zijinshan Copper Mine smelting plant were detained by the Shanghang County Public Security Bureau, local government officials announced at a press conference on July 15. The director, vice director and an environmental engineer of the mining company were detained on criminal charges.
Officials discovered that the plant’s pollution monitoring system was flawed in September 2009, but the system was not replaced by the company. According to preliminary investigation results released by the Shanghang county government at the press conference, the Zijin Mining Group illegally diverted its wastewater to the Ting River.
Chen Junan, head of the Shanghang County Environmental Protection Bureau, resigned days after the accident was announced.
