Overview

• Six Northeastern University mineral processing students drowned on July 23 after a protective grate gave way during a field visit to Zhongjin Gold’s Wunugetushan mine in Inner Mongolia.
• One teacher was injured in the incident and the company activated its emergency response plan to pause production and report the accident to local authorities.
• Zhongjin Gold’s shares slid about 4.4% on the Shanghai Stock Exchange following the tragedy and suspension of operations.
• Social media users have focused outrage on the deleted February claim that grid plate replacements had eliminated safety hazards, propelling the hashtag #ChinaGoldApology to millions of views.
• Regulators have opened an investigation into the plant’s safety practices following scrutiny over the company’s earlier safety assurances.