Farmers end Sino Gold blockade

The Chinese farmers who had forced Sino Gold Mining Ltd to halt operations at its White Mountain mine in Jilin province in a dispute over alleged water contamination stopped blocking road access yesterday, local police said.

But the gold mine's operation will remain suspended until the dispute between the mine and nearby villagers is settled, said a local official from the information office of Baishan.

"There was no drastic conflict between the farmers and the mine owners," a policeman in Baishan, surnamed Liu, said.