LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 22 (Reuters) - Congo's Supreme Court has ruled against Canadian miner First Quantum Mineral's rights to two copper mines in the south of the country, a mining ministry official said.
'The Supreme Court has decided to annul the letter from the ministry of mines that gave the mining title rights to First Quantum for Frontier and Lonshi,' Alexis Mikandji, chief of staff in the Ministry of Mines, told Reuters on Saturday.
Mikandji, in the southeastern town of Lubumbashi for a mining conference, said First Quantum would have the right to defend itself against the decision. First Quantum top executive in Congo, Mike Parker, told Reuters the company disputed the ruling and was 'vigorously defending' its right to the titles.
(Reporting by Katrina Manson; editing by Mark John and Michael Roddy) (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://af.reuters.com/) Keywords: CONGO DEMOCRATIC/FIRSTQUANTUM (mark.john@thomsonreuters.com; Dakar Newsroom +221 33 864 5076) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
'The Supreme Court has decided to annul the letter from the ministry of mines that gave the mining title rights to First Quantum for Frontier and Lonshi,' Alexis Mikandji, chief of staff in the Ministry of Mines, told Reuters on Saturday.
Mikandji, in the southeastern town of Lubumbashi for a mining conference, said First Quantum would have the right to defend itself against the decision. First Quantum top executive in Congo, Mike Parker, told Reuters the company disputed the ruling and was 'vigorously defending' its right to the titles.
(Reporting by Katrina Manson; editing by Mark John and Michael Roddy) (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://af.reuters.com/) Keywords: CONGO DEMOCRATIC/FIRSTQUANTUM (mark.john@thomsonreuters.com; Dakar Newsroom +221 33 864 5076) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.