Ndola — THE Government has dispelled claims that Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Katanga province governor, Moses Katumbi has banned the shipment of copper ore to Zambia.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Kabinga Pande said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that the transportation of copper from the DRC to Zambia had continued as usual.

Mr Pande said First Quantum Minerals (FQM) had their own problems with the DRC Government regarding revenue collection and had been asked to construct a dry port.

"Mr Katumbi met management of First Quantum Limited and resolved that First Quantum Limited should instead construct a dry port at its Lonshi and Frontier Mines by June 30, 2008.

"This is for the purpose of monitoring as well as accountability in terms of revenue due to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo," Mr Pande said.

The minister stressed that issues affecting First Quantum and the DRC should be treated as such and not linked to the relations between the two countries.

"Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo will continue to enjoy the warm and cordial relations that have for so long existed between the two countries and peoples," the minister said.

FQM's Bwana Mkubwa /Lonshi operation involves open pit mining of high grade oxide ore at Lonshi in the DRC and transportation of the ore into Zambia where it is processed at the Bwana Mkubwa facility.

FQM president, Clive Newall said in a recent statement that Mr Katumbi had ordered his company to stop shipping copper ore and exploration core samples from its Lonshi mine in the DRC and concentrates from Frontier mine into Zambia.