The official WeChat account of the procuratorate in Zaoyang, Central China's Hubei Province, reports on August 26, 2025, that a man was sentenced for illegally mining 8,400 tons of bentonite. Photo: Screenshot from the report

A man has been sentenced for illegally mining 8,400 tons of bentonite— a non-metallic mineral widely used in industries such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and construction, according to the official WeChat account of the procuratorate in  Zaoyang, Central China's Hubei Province.

Local procuratorate filed a public prosecution against a man surnamed Ma for the crime of illegal mining. A local court recently reviewed the case and handed down a sentence, the report said.

Ma learned about the economic value of the local bentonite in April 2022. Without obtaining any mining permits, he leased over 25 acres of farmland from nine farmers, hired workers and vehicles to extract the bentonite. Approximately 8,400 tons of bentonite were mined, estimated to be worth over 470,000 yuan ($66,619).

The soil structure of the farmland was severely damaged, leaving it nearly unfit for cultivation. In April 2023, after receiving reports from the public, the Zaoyang City Natural Resources and Planning Bureau intervened to halt the mining.

Investigations found that the farmland had not been "severely destroyed" and that the area used for bentonite extraction was under 10 acres, below the threshold for the crime of illegally occupying arable land. Thus, Ma's actions were classified as illegal mining. On May 21, 2025, the procuratorate charged him, and the court later sentenced him.

Global Times