SHANGHANG, Fujian, July 12 (Xinhua) -- A copper mine has contaminated a river in east China's Fujian Province, causing a massive fish kill, environmental authorities said Monday.

The Zijinshan Copper Mine is owned by Hong Kong-listed Zijin Mining Group Co., China's largest gold producer.

About 1.89 million kilograms of fish in the Mianhuatan Reservoir in Yongding County have been found dead or poisoned.

The smell of dead fish is discernible 10 kilometers from the reservoir, according to a Xinhua reporter.

The county government has mobilized civil servants, officers and soldiers from the Longyan detachment of the armed police, as well as local villagers to help net the dead fish.

"The county government has issued a circular asking residents to turn in poisoned fish for collective disposal. Villagers will receive 3 yuan (0.4 U.S. dollars) for each kilogram of dead fish turned in," said Liao Zhiyuan, a villager in Hongshan Township.

Zhang Jingwen, a veteran fisherman in the township, said the fish kill was detected July 5. The contamination has killed all 25,000 kilograms of fish on his fish farm.

"If the dead fish are not netted in time, they will rot in water," he said.

Lin Zhongmin, deputy chief of the Longyan detachment of the armed police, has been helping with the cleanup. He said more than 100 officers and soldiers from his detachment have worked for 11 hours at the reservoir.

Villagers have urged the mining company to compensate them for their losses.

Shanghang County-headquartered Zijin Mining Group Co. has not yet commented on the matter.