Guangxi villages bear brunt of illegal mining
By Li Qian |
November 22, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
YEARS of illegal mine exploitation in several villages in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has killed farmlands, led to encroachment of forests and even caused the death of children who allegedly drowned in barrier lakes.
Piled mud generated from the reckless ore exploitation in nine local villages in Luchuan County has buried 667 hectares of crops after it was washed away by heavy rains. Another 1,334 hectares of forest have been ruined in the mining, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday, quoting residents.
Illegal miners dug up deep barrier lakes to store water, from which they washed ore and the prized discovery, titanium-bearing ilmenite. Several children in Ping'an Village have drowned in the lake due to a lack of warning and protection facilities over the last six years, villagers told Xinhua.
But officers of the Luchuan County government said only 52.3 hectares of crops were damaged and local police claimed they have not received any notice of deaths in barrier lakes, Xinhua reported. The children might have drowned in ponds, police suggested.
Luchuan County produces rich ilmenite, an iron-black or steel-gray titanium-iron oxide mineral, which is widely used in strong light-weight alloys, as in airplane parts.
Luchuan has attracted an increasing number of illegal mine contractors since the 1980s, which reached a peak in 2005, with 95 illegal mining sites, officials said.
Li Yuan, the deputy director of local land and resources administration, said almost all of the illegal ore caving had been banned and confiscated by the end of 2008, but they have revived due to the rocketing price of ilmenite this year, Xinhua reported.
Police have arrested 10 illegal contractors since 2006 and shut down three illegal mining sites this year, the report said citing Li.
Officers said 50 hectares of crop have been reclaimed after villagers lodged complaints with the county government.
Piled mud generated from the reckless ore exploitation in nine local villages in Luchuan County has buried 667 hectares of crops after it was washed away by heavy rains. Another 1,334 hectares of forest have been ruined in the mining, Xinhua news agency reported yesterday, quoting residents.
Illegal miners dug up deep barrier lakes to store water, from which they washed ore and the prized discovery, titanium-bearing ilmenite. Several children in Ping'an Village have drowned in the lake due to a lack of warning and protection facilities over the last six years, villagers told Xinhua.
But officers of the Luchuan County government said only 52.3 hectares of crops were damaged and local police claimed they have not received any notice of deaths in barrier lakes, Xinhua reported. The children might have drowned in ponds, police suggested.
Luchuan County produces rich ilmenite, an iron-black or steel-gray titanium-iron oxide mineral, which is widely used in strong light-weight alloys, as in airplane parts.
Luchuan has attracted an increasing number of illegal mine contractors since the 1980s, which reached a peak in 2005, with 95 illegal mining sites, officials said.
Li Yuan, the deputy director of local land and resources administration, said almost all of the illegal ore caving had been banned and confiscated by the end of 2008, but they have revived due to the rocketing price of ilmenite this year, Xinhua reported.
Police have arrested 10 illegal contractors since 2006 and shut down three illegal mining sites this year, the report said citing Li.
Officers said 50 hectares of crop have been reclaimed after villagers lodged complaints with the county government.
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