China's gold output drops by 9.85%
BEIJING: China's gold output dropped in the first half of this year due to stricter rules on solid waste from production and shrinking reserves.
A total of 206.54 tonnes of gold were produced in January-June, down 9.85 per cent from a year ago, according to the China Gold Association.
Of this total, 178.46 tonnes were gold mineral, while 28.08 tonnes were a byproduct of nonferrous metal smelting.
The 10 top gold producers accounted for 53.24 per cent and 39.74 per cent of the country's total refined gold and gold mineral output respectively.
China adopted new rules last year to raise environmental requirements on solid waste from gold prospecting, leading to a wave of gold mine closures and output declines in major producing provinces, including Shandong, Jiangxi and Hunan. - XINHUA
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