Glencore told the Zambian government this week that it wants to keep operating its Zambian copper mining subsidiary Mopani Copper Mines (MCM), not shutter the operations, mines ministry permanent secretary Barnaby Mulenga said on Sunday.
Glencore’s decision to put MCM under "care and maintenance" sparked a backlash from Zambia’s government, which threatened to revoke the firm’s mining licences because it said Glencore did not give enough notice before suspending the mines.
"The government wants to see a win-win situation and respects investors but we need to protect the interests of Zambians," Mulenga told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Zambia’s ministers of mines, finance, home affairs, and labour, will hold a video conference with Glencore on Monday to discuss the issue, Mulenga said. "We expect to make a lot of progress in this meeting," he added.