To implement the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Promoting Cleaner Production" and encourage enterprises to conduct cleaner production audits, in accordance with the "Notice from the Ministry of Environmental Protection on Deepening the Implementation of Cleaner Production in Key Enterprises" (Huan Fa [2010] No. 54) and following the guidelines outlined in the "Notice from the Guizhou Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment on Announcing the List of Enterprises Required to Undergo Mandatory Cleaner Production Audits in Guizhou Province for 2020" (Qian Huan Tong [2020] No. 76), Songtao Sanhe Manganese Industry Group Co., Ltd. plans to organize and carry out a cleaner production audit across the company in January 2021. As part of this initiative, we are now publicly announcing our company’s environmental information for 2020, inviting public scrutiny and oversight.

Company Name: Songtao Sanhe Manganese Industry Group Co., Ltd.

Production capacity: 50,000 tons of electrolytic manganese per year

Corporate Legal Representative: Zhuo Pinrong

Registered address: Next to Jiangqiao Primary School, Liugao Town, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province

Production Address: Ba'ao Village, LiaoGao Subdistrict, Songtao Miao Autonomous County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province

I. Product Output, Consumption of Key Raw and Auxiliary Materials, and Emissions/Discharges of Pollutants

(1) The company's product output and consumption of major raw and auxiliary materials are shown in the table below:

(2) Pollutant Generation and Emission Status:

Water pollutants—wastewater generated during the company’s production process is fully recycled after being treated at the on-site wastewater treatment plant, with no discharge to external sources. Cooling water is also reused in a closed-loop system, preventing any external discharge. The company employs a chromium-free passivation process, ensuring no chromium-containing wastewater is produced. Domestic sewage is collected via an on-site treatment facility before being discharged into the Songtao Economic Development Zone Wastewater Treatment Plant. According to the company’s monitoring results dated June 23, 2020 (HJWT2020045), the COD concentration in the domestic wastewater was 36 mg/L, and the ammonia nitrogen concentration was 13.9 mg/L—both meeting the Class III standards outlined in the "Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standards" (GB8978-1996). Additionally, leachate from the slag disposal site is collected, pumped back to the company’s wastewater treatment plant for further processing and reuse.

Atmospheric pollutants—during the production process, the main air contaminants are dust from milling and compounding operations, as well as sulfuric acid mist generated in the leaching and compounding steps. Uncontrolled emissions also include ammonia fumes from the leaching and neutralization process, sulfuric acid mist from the electrolysis stage, and ammonia fumes from the electrolysis process itself.

According to the company's monitoring results dated June 23, 2020 (HJWT2020042), the maximum sulfuric acid mist emission concentration from the compound workshop was 26 mg/m³, meeting the Level 2 standard requirement of the "Comprehensive Emission Standard for Air Pollutants" (GB 16297-1996) at 45 mg/m³. Additionally, after dust treatment in the pulverizing process, the outgoing dust concentration was reduced to a level that complies with the Level 2 standard of the "Comprehensive Emission Standard for Air Pollutants" (GB 16297-1996), which is 120 mg/m³.

Unorganized emissions include ammonia fumes from the leaching neutralization process, sulfuric acid fumes from the electrolysis process, and ammonia fumes from the same process, among others. These emissions are primarily managed through forced ventilation. According to the company's monitoring results dated June 23, 2020 (HJWT2020042), the concentrations of unorganized emissions were below the monitoring limits specified in the "Comprehensive Emission Standard for Air Pollutants" (GB 16297-1996)—specifically, the limit for unorganized emissions was 1.2 mg/m³. Additionally, the TSP concentrations in unorganized emissions fell below the Class II standard outlined in the same standard (1.0 mg/m³), while the NH₃ concentrations at the plant boundary remained well within both the Class II limit stipulated by the "Comprehensive Emission Standard for Odorous Pollutants" (GB 14554-93)—1.5 mg/m³—and the unorganized emission monitoring limit set by the "Guizhou Provincial Emission Standards for Environmental Pollutants" (DB52/864-2013)—1.0 mg/m³.

Solid waste—mainly includes manganese slag, water treatment sludge, and anode slag. The leachate generated amounts to 339,523 tons per year (with 24% moisture content), while water treatment sludge production is 160 tons annually, and anode slag production stands at 1,575.26 tons per year (containing 40% moisture). These waste volumes remain within the limits specified by the discharge permit. Manganese slag and water treatment sludge are primarily stored in designated slag storage areas, whereas anode slag, which consists mainly of manganese dioxide and exhibits high reactivity, is piled up in a dedicated anode slag repository equipped with an impermeable liner and a leachate collection system. The collected leachate is regularly sold off as a valuable resource.

Noise Pollution – According to the company’s monitoring results dated June 23, 2020 (HJWT2020042), noise levels at four monitoring points around the plant boundary remained below the limits specified in GB12348-2008, the "Industrial Enterprise Boundary Noise Standard." Specifically, the equivalent sound levels during both daytime and nighttime did not exceed the Class 2 standards of 60 dB(A) during the day and 50 dB(A) at night.

(3) Environmental Protection and Compliance Status:

Since the company’s establishment, we have actively promoted environmental management, gradually establishing a relatively robust environmental management system. We’ve further refined our production processes to enhance pollution prevention and improve overall environmental management performance. As a result, we’ve successfully prevented environmental incidents and ecological damage, with no instances of environmental violations occurring.

Announcement hereby!

Songtao Sanhe Manganese Industry Group Co., Ltd.

January 22, 2021