Message Mer 25 Sep 2013 09:04

PF Government Stuck with Collum Mine

Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma says government is stuck with Maamba’s Colum Coal Mine seven months after revoking the licence of the Chinese firm that ran it.

Yaluma said the government was failing to sell the mine as the Chinese firm and ZCCM-IH had struggled to reach an agreement on the value of the mine.

He said the firm had refused to sell the mine until the government paid out the worth of the mine.

Yaluma said it was yet to be clear when another investor would be brought on board to run the mine.’

Colum Coal Mine has often hit the headlines by visiting politicians who make it a habit to make one off labour safety standards statements before pulling a long term disappearing act.

The mine was closed by the government in February 2013 and since then there has been no clear direction on the next step.