Asia Cement to restrict Sincheng mining activities

Asia Cement is to reduced its mining operations in Hualien County, Taiwan, by 40 per cent amid widespread criticism at the company’s mining activities at the Sincheng site.

The company said it would restrict its mining operations in Sincheng Township to about 250ha, 150ha less than the 400ha that the government has approved. It has also agreed to conduct an environmental impact assessment on its mining operations if necessary, once a proposed revision of the Mining Act passes the legislature.

The announcement came after Premier Lin Chuan on Wednesday said that the government would review the renewal of the firm’s mining rights in a week's time.

Asia Cement yesterday took out front-page advertisements in several Chinese-language newspapers to announce the news. There has been public outcry at the mining activities at the Sincheng site in the wake of the death of award-winning documentary filmmaker Chi Po-lin on Saturday last week in a helicopter crash.