Polluting company mired in new scandal

A South China mine made famous after a pollution scandal two years ago once again faces criticism after its zinc mine was shut down for illegally discharging pollutants.

The Lame Zinc Mine under Guangxi Jinhe Mining Co Ltd in Hechi city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, was found to have discharged waste water containing excessive levels of cadmium and zinc in July, said a statement Hechi's environmental department on Monday.

The mine was fined 300,000 yuan ($48,800), although the waste water did not cause much pollution. It was ordered to stop production earlier this month, the statement said.

The case came two years after Guangxi Jinhe Mining Co Ltd was caught in similar river contamination case.

In 2012, the Longjiang River, located in Yizhou, Hechi city, was found to have been contaminated by the heavy metal cadmium, threatening the drinking water source of the downstream Liuzhou City, which is home to 1.5 million people. It took one month of emergency treatment to restore water quality in the river.

The company was found to be a polluter and was fined 1 million yuan. Its three managers were each sentenced to three years in jail.