China jails officials for fatal landslide

Enviromine

Tashan iron-ore mine in China’s northern Shanxi

Publishing Date: 07 Jul 2009 4:06pm GMT
Author: Mining, People and the Environment

Health and Safety Legal and Legislation

A Chinese court has jailed 12 government officials for up to five years, after finding them responsible for a tailings dam failure that resulted in the deaths of 277 people last year.

The officials, including members of the land and resources administration and an environmental protection officer, were found guilty of negligence and abuse of power.

The tailings dump at the Tashan iron-ore mine in China’s northern Shanxi failed last September after torrential rain in the area, resulting in a mudslide that hit the local town of Linfen, and sparking a massive rescue effort

An investigation into the incident found that the tailings facility was constructed without a proper licence and with disregard to safety measures. The town mayor subsequently resigned, and the government is still searching for a replacement.

China has a notoriously dangerous mining industry, with accidents occurring regularly in its coal mines.

Already in July a gas explosion claimed three lives, while in June a flood in an underground mine trapped 16 miners.