Zijin Mining Group’s Waste Leaks Affect Copper Production

SHANGHAI, July 19 (SMM) - Waste containing acidic copper leaking from a copper mine owned by Zijin Mining Group has contaminated the Ting River in Fujian province, the company said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on July 13th.  According to Zijin, heavy rainfall was the cause of the leaking waste, and although local drinking water is not believed to be affected, a number of dead fish were found.  
 
Zijin Mining has suspended the stockpiling of ore at its Zijinshan mine after waste water containing acidic copper leaked into a nearby river.  According to Xinhua News Agency, about 1.89 million kg of fish in the Mianhuatan reservoir in Fujian province were found dead or poisoned.  Zijin Mining Group has also shut down the copper smelter after leaks were found.   An investigation by local environmental authorities is underway, and the incident has had a “substantial effect” on copper production at the mine, the company said.

Zijin Mining Group produces between 1,200 and 1,300 mt of copper each month using the hydrometallurgical process, and supplies this output to the group’s internal enterprises.  In this context, SMM believes the impact from production suspension at copper smelter on external markets will be limited.

Copyright © SMM. All Rights Reserved

None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use in any forms or means, without the prior written consent of SMM. For reproduction issue, please contact us by email: service.en@smm.cn