In a shocking revelation, Jingchen Mining Company, based in northern China's Shanxi province, has been found to have concealed 43 deaths resulting from 40 safety-related accidents over the past 15 years. The company, established in 2003, managed to evade regulatory scrutiny by coercing the relatives of deceased employees into accepting private settlements.
A joint task force set up by the provincial government has taken action against 28 suspects on charges of safety-related crimes. Investigations have also been launched into 16 officials over corruption-related issues. The task force, comprising officials from the anti-graft, public security, and emergency management departments, conducted over 200 visits to workers and the families of the employees whose deaths were covered up, gathering more than 40,000 pages of evidence.
The scandal came to light on June 29 when state-owned media outlet China Newsweek reported that Jingchen Mining Company had concealed the deaths of at least 17 workers due to landslides and other safety-related accidents between 2007 and 2022. The company was found to have signed contracts with unqualified contractors who failed to provide safety training in accordance with safety norms.
In 2022, when the mining of all minerals except coal was suspended across the province, the task force found that a company employee still illicitly organized workers to conduct mining operations without proper authorization. The unauthorized mining continued for eight months, resulting in the extraction of approximately 2.6 million tons of ore.
Jin Fujun, a contractor associated with the company, faced eight charges after he assumed leadership of a criminal gang. He engaged in various illegal activities from 2006 to 2018, which included being behind unfair mining deals and operating illegal gambling venues.
The government probe also highlighted the local supervisory department's shortcomings. For instance, in 2018, when the company hid the most mining deaths, the county's supervisors conducted fewer inspections than required and failed to identify safety issues.
The task force's report sparked another wave of outrage on social media, with many users expressing anger over the deaths and corruption involved. Some called for a broader investigation into the matter. Despite official figures showing a decrease in safety-related accidents in the province, a series of scandals involving companies and local officials concealing casualties prompted authorities to launch a six-month campaign targeting illegal activities last year.
