Chen Jiahong, vice president of Zijin Mining Group Co., has been detained over accusations that his company has caused serious environmental pollution, said a statement on the Shanghai Stock Exchanges on Wednesday.

He was detained on Tuesday. Three executives of the plant which caused the pollution were detained on July 15.

China's leading gold producer, Zijin, Tuesday was asked by the local authorities to restrict its gold mining after its copper mine polluted a river in east China's Fujian Province.

The directive is expected to cut its annual gold production this year by one tonne. Zijin produced 75.37 tonnes of gold in 2009.

Trading of the company's stock resumed on Wednesday after it was suspended for two days pending the announcement of the restriction orders.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2010)