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(LUSAKATIMES) 250 Chinese Collum Coal Mine workers retrenched

250 Chinese Collum Coal Mine workers retrenched
Thursday, April 30, 2009, 12:19

The Chinese Collum Coal Mine management in Sinazongwe district has said the shrinking market for coal has resulted in shutting down of Shaft Three and 250 workers have been laid off.

The Director for Shaft Two and three Xu Zian Rui told ZANIS in Sinazongwe that 4,600,000 metric tones of coal were lying in their storage shades.

Mr. Rui said most of their customers such as Chilanga Cement, Konkola Copper Mine, and Zambia breweries are still buying their coal from Zimbabwe.

He said production has been reduced as they were now producing 3, 000,000 metric tones of coal per month.The Director said the price of their coal ranges from K280, 000 for washed peas, K230, 000 washed nuts and K180, 000 for washed fines.

He further said production would be back to normal once the market for coal improved.

Last month the Chinese director appealed to government to assist them in ensuring that companies stops buying coal from outside the country because they had enough stocks to satisfy the market.

Mr. Rui said only small companies were buying coal from them in smaller quantities.
He said the scenario has affected workers that have been laid off because they have no means to look after their families.

Mr. Rui said the closed shaft would only be re-opened once the market for coal improved.

ENDS/TN/PK/ZANIS

Labels: CHINESE, COLLUM COAL MINE, JOBLOSSES, SINAZONGWE

posted by MrK @ 2:31 PM