9 dead in S. China landslide
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Xinhua, November 29, 2011
The death toll in last Saturday's landslide in the southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has climbed to nine after two more bodies were found Monday afternoon, local authorities said Tuesday.
The landslide, caused by illegal mining activities of rare earth metals, took place at about 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 26 near a village in Cangwu county, a county government spokesman said earlier.
A suspect detained by police for involvement in the illegal mining told police that seven people were buried, the spokesman said.
But after the seven victims' bodies were retrieved Monday morning, the rescue team continued to search for more missing people after receiving information from some victims' families that more people were likely to be buried.
The rescue work came to an end Tuesday morning.
Three other detained miners said they were pouring chemical solutions into holes they dug on a hilltop, which they hoped could bring them rare earth metals, according to the local police.
Initial probes suggest that the devastating activity on the loose mountain earth led to the mishap.
Rare earth metals are vital ingredients for manufacturing an array of sophisticated products, including cell phones, wind turbines, electric car batteries and missiles.
China now produces more than 90 percent of the world's rare earth metals, but its rare earth reserves only account for about one-third of the world's total.
The country has suspended the issuance of new licenses for rare earth prospecting and mining, imposed production caps and export quotas, and announced tougher environmental standards for rare earth production in order to control environmental damage and protect resources.
Despite government control, illegal production remains active, seeking profits from surging rare earth prices.
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