Production suspended at manganese plant after toxic gas leak
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Production at a manganese plant in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was suspended after toxic gas killed three and poisoned 21 others early Thursday morning.
Production in the plant, Tianyuan Manganese Corp., in Zhongning County of Zhongwei City, was completely halted at 12 a.m. Thursday so an investigation could be carried out, said the Zhongning County government in a statement.
Hydrogen sulfide could have caused the poisoning, an initial investigation by the Ningxia health authorities showed.
The plant was mixing manganese carbonate and sulphuric acid to make manganese when the accident happened at about 0:40 a.m., said Jiao Shuang, deputy general manager of the company.
Twenty-four workers at the scene showed symptoms of toxic gas poisoning, Jiao said.
Three died after they were hospitalized and three others are in critical condition, doctors said, adding that the rest are in stable condition.
Investigations by the Zhongwei Environment Protection Bureau showed that residents nearby had not been affected, said the bureau's director Yu Zhenguo.
Work safety supervisors are further investigating the cause of the accident.
Tianyuan Manganese Corp. is one of the largest electrolytic manganese producers in the world with an annual output of 72,000 tons of the metal.
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