HOHHOT, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- An investigation report into a fatal accident at a mining facility in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, operated by a mining company under China National Gold Group Co., Ltd., was made public this Saturday.
The accident, which occurred on July 23, 2025, claimed six lives and left one person injured, with the report recommending that 42 individuals be held accountable.
The regional government immediately conducted a higher-level investigation into the accident to determine its cause and nature and implement corrective measures.
According to the investigation report, six university students drowned after falling into a flotation cell during a study visit at a copper-molybdenum ore-dressing plant in Hulunbuir. All six were rescued but later pronounced dead, and a supervising teacher was also injured.
The direct cause of the accident was attributed to multiple safety failures, including grid plates that were smaller than designed, support beams improperly welded with severely corroded joints, personnel congregating on an operational platform away from the safe route, and loads exceeding the capacity of the welded joints.
These faults caused the structure to collapse suddenly, sending those on it into the flotation cell, where six students drowned in the slurry.
The report also highlighted broader safety lapses, including inadequate on-site safety management, the absence of tailored internship safety protocols, improper contracting of related projects, insufficient attention to workplace safety, and weak regulatory oversight.
In response to the findings, four employees of the mining subsidiary have been handed over to judicial authorities for criminal investigation and are currently under compulsory measures. Other individuals involved have faced penalties including expulsion from the Communist Party of China, dismissal from public office, referral for judicial proceedings, and administrative punishments. ■
