Chinese mining company Zijin says police detain VP after toxic spill at copper mine

Chinese miner says VP detained after toxic spill

BEIJING — A major Chinese mining company said Thursday that one of its vice presidents has been detained by police in connection with a spill of copper mine waste that poisoned a river near the country’s southeast coast.

Zijin Mining Group received notice Wednesday that Chen Jiahong was detained “as a suspect in relation to the major pollution accident,” the company said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange. It gave no other details.

The June 3 leak into the Ting River in Fujian province on China’s southeast coast killed fish and fouled drinking water for 60,000 people. The waste flowed into crowded Guangdong province, which abuts Hong Kong.

The facility’s manager, deputy manager and environmental protection officer were detained earlier. The chief county environmental official resigned.

Chen also is a former general manager of the Zijinshan Gold and Copper Mine, where the disaster occurred, Zijin said.

The company is China’s biggest gold miner and a top producer of copper and zinc.

Zijin has publicly apologized and acknowledged a waste pond at the mine was improperly built and operated, which led to the accident.

Chinese media have questioned Zijin’s links with local officials, many of whom own stock in the company. The newspaper China Daily quoted unidentified officials who said local authorities might have helped Zijin cover up earlier environmental accidents.

Zijin Mining Group: www.zjky.cn/tabid/138/Default.aspx