Zijin Mining Group Co, owner of China's largest gold mine, said yesterday first-half profit rose 45 percent as it raised production and benefited from higher bullion prices.

Net income climbed to 1.74 billion yuan (US$254 million), or 0.13 yuan a share, from 1.2 billion yuan, or 0.09 yuan a year earlier, Zijin said in a statement to Shanghai Stock Exchange.

(Shanghai Daily July 29, 2008)