LUSAKA (Reuters) – Zambia’s Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has not been temporarily or permanently shuttered, the state-appointed provisional liquidator of the copper mine previously owned by Vedanta Resources said on Wednesday, denying a Bloomberg report.
Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing mines ministry permanent secretary Barnaby Mulenga, that Zambia halted production at Konkola Deep and other KCM operations because of a lack of funds to develop new mining areas.
Zambia handed control of KCM to a provisional liquidator in May 2019, triggering an ongoing legal dispute with Vedanta.
“Konkola is currently operating and there are no plans to put it on care and maintenance now or in the future,” Provisional Liquidator Milingo Lungu told Reuters in a text message.
A mines ministry spokeswoman said the ministry would release a statement, without commenting further.
Zambia’s economy is heavily reliant on mining, making the sector highly politicised especially as the country heads into a general election in three months’ time.
Reporting by Chris Mfula in Lusaka, Writing by Helen Reid, Editing by
