The government has reassured miners and stakeholders at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) that assertions that Vedanta Resources will resume operations at the mine next year are untrue, as the mine remains under the provisional liquidator with ongoing court cases.
The government also says it appreciates the anxieties surrounding Mopani and KCM from stakeholders but notes that there is a need for court cases to be resolved before the future of the latter is announced while any speculations about Vedanta repossessing the mine remain untrue.
And the government says while it is true that Mopani needs investments to become fully operational and profitable, the government is currently renegotiating some of the Glencore agreements done under the previous regime especially since the mines remain integral to Zambia.
Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe has told Phoenix News that discussions around the future of both Mopani and KCM are ongoing but cannot be disclosed to the public until the state makes pronouncements at an appropriate time after all the processes involved are concluded.
Meanwhile, Mr Kabuswe has said that government will come up with a policy that will stop the export of raw Manganese and other minerals.
Mr Kabuswe says this will be done in consultations with the Ministry of Finance and Justice and that it is unacceptable that huge tonnes of raw Manganese is leaving the country when it can be processed locally.
The minister was speaking when he met Manganese Mine owners in Serenje District.
And Mr. Kabuswe has suspended operations at Philip Kosamu Artisanal Mine and Keprochamu Youth Mining Cooperative for flouting safety measures.
He said the two mines should stop operating until safety measures are put in place.
Mr Kabuswe said the lives of people were more important and ordered that operations should only resume when safety measures improve .
And when Vedanta return…. there will be stories…. I suppose to support the return?
Upnd has failed.
Arrest the ACC.
So what Milingo Lungu and his cousin Edgar Lungu are honest. All what Milingo has been doing is for the benefit of Zambians.
Please pay Milingo for defamation of character.
And leave the poor Lungu family alone.
Mr minister we thought that the guy has already gone, but looking at your polices he will come back to take more or plunder the rest of zambian copper.
He will make more money from nothing realising that there are no mineral royalties and copper prices are sky high, it is time to give more because we are daft.
He is the same guy who paid nothing for those mines paid $25 million in stead of $500million.
Zambia we have no leadership.