[February 05, 2010] DJ China-owned Copper Mine In Zambia Suspends Miners For Sabotage Tweet Feb 05, 2010 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) -- By Nicholas Bariyo Special to DOW JONES NEWSWIRES Chinese-owned NFC Africa has suspended at least 200 miners at Chambishi Copper Mines in Zambia accusing them of sabotaging underground mining operations last week, a union official told Dow Jones Newswires Friday. Sikufela Mundia, the president of the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers said that management suspended the miners Thursday and is investigating a fire in an underground cable last week. Fumes and smoke affected workers and more than a dozen miners were hospitalized following the accident. "They have suspended the miners but we are yet to get all the facts. We are meeting with management today to get the details," he said by telephone from Kitwe in the Copper Belt province. NFC Africa, which owns the mine and is a unit of China Nonferrous Metals Co. Ltd. (8306.HK) declined to comment. NFC Africa also operates the 150,000-metric-tons-a-year Chambishi Copper Smelter, as well as Luanshya Copper Mines, which it took over last year. Following the accident, underground mining operations were suspended and the miners were evacuated, there were no fatalities from the accident. The union however insists that management has not followed right procedures in suspending the miners. People close to the situation say that some Chambishi miners are not happy with the 5% pay rise offered by management last week, which could have driven them to sabotage the mine. -By Nicholas Bariyo, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; 256-75-262-4615; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires 02-05-10 0349ET [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]