6 Chinese Students Died Drowning During Mining Visit

UNSPLASH/Martin Brechtl ILLUSTRATION

Six students drowned while making a field visit to a molybdenum copper mine in northern China owned by Zhongjin Gold Corp.

Students from the University of Northeastern in Shenyang fell into a flotation cell - a mining device that uses liquid solution to extract copper from crushed ore - after the protective grid collapsed.

A teacher was also injured in an accident in a mine located in the Inner Mongolia region of China, according to a report from Zhongjin Gold, a subsidiary of China National Gold Group Co.

The company said it had activated an emergency plan and reported the incident to the relevant agencies in the local government.

Mining operator, subsidiary Zhongjin Gold, has discontinued production, the company said in another stock exchange report on Thursday, July 24 afternoon.

Zhongjin Gold shares closed down 4.4% on Thursday.

Such field visits have been held over the years and the incident was unexpected, said a teacher from the University of Northeastern, according to Radio's social media accounts and Henan Television.