China's state news service reports that a copper company official convicted in a bribery case will face death.

Two other executives at state-owned Yunnan Copper Group, China's third-largest copper producer, were sentenced to 20 years and life, respectively. The official who got the life sentence was given a break because he confessed and returned money he had stolen.

Yu Weiping, who got the death sentence, was on the board of the copper miner and various of its subsidiaries between 2000 and 2007. He stood accused of taking bribes of $4.26 million and of embezzling another $6 million, according to the news service.

Yu also misappropriated even more money, which he lent out, the court said. That money has been recovered.

It was unclear if the three planned to appeal.Yunnan Copper Group employs 20,000. Sales reached 39.2 billion yuan last year.