LUSAKA, Dec 13: Zambian President Rupiah Banda on Saturday held talks with officials of Luanshya Copper Mine over a threat to abandon its copper unit, weeks after suspending building of a $354 million mine, a government official said on Saturday.

LCM said last month it had suspended building the Mulyashi copper mine for four months from October this year, while it reviews the copper recovery process and re-examines the project’s viability in view of falling global metals prices.

On Saturday chief government spokesman Ronnie Shikapwasha said Zambia was looking to find solutions to the company’s operational problems.

“They have problems selling their copper and we will only know of the other issues affecting their operations once the president briefs us after the meeting,” Shikapwasha told Reuters.