Six Students Die in Inner Mongolia Mine Tragedy

Six Northeastern University students in Liaoning, China, drowned after a grid plate collapsed beneath them during a field trip to Zhongjin Gold’s Wunugetushan copper-molybdenum mine in Inner Mongolia. The students, all third-year mineral processing engineering majors, fell into a flotation tank and could not be revived, while a teacher was also injured. The accident prompted national outrage and scrutiny of mine safety protocols, as well as criticism of responsibility and management. Zhongjin Gold halted production at the mine following the tragedy, and its shares dropped sharply amid the fallout. Previous reports from the mine had claimed a record of 'zero accidents.' The incident underscores persistent challenges with industrial safety in China despite recent improvements.