Zambia govt mediating in First Quantum strike

[miningmx.com] — ZAMBIA’S government is mediating to end the strike that has halted production at Canada’s First Quantum Minerals flagship copper mine, the minister of labour said on Thursday.

“I met the two parties yesterday and we are having another meeting this morning. I am very confident that this problem will be resolved,” Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda told Reuters.

Workers at the Kansanshi mine, Zambia’s largest copper mine which produced 231,000 tonnes of the red metal in 2010, downed tools on Tuesday demanding 100% pay rises and bringing production to a halt.