Metallon halts output at three Zimbabwe gold mines over debts

Gold producer Metallon Corp halted output at three of its four mines in Zimbabwe because of mounting debts, as a South African newspaper reported the owner is considering selling the operations. The suspension is the latest sign of stress in the southern African nation’s gold industry, which has been hampered by a shortage of foreign exchange. Zimbabwean laws force producers to sell their metal to the central bank, which only allows companies to retain a portion of their export proceeds.