GOVERNMENT has extended the ultimatum for the Chinese-owned Collum Coal Mine to correct anomalies in operations to this monthend.

Deputy Mines Minister, Richard Musukwa said the ultimatum was extended to April 30 by which time the company should have worked on the areas of concern, failure to which the licence would be revoked.

The Government decided to extend the ultimate from March 31 to April 30 following the breach of the mine's safety regulations, coupled with poor working conditions.

Mr Musukwa said if the firm failed to comply with safety regulations, the Government would shut it down or take over its operations.

In February, the Government asked Collum Coal Mine management to provide a blasting licence, training facilities and other general training facilities for employees as well as a blasting schedule for the primary blasters to follow.

Mr Musukwa said management were given a number of issues to resolve.

Since the three shafts were now operating independently, the deputy minister directed the management to apply for separate mining licences for each shaft and appoint a qualified mine manager for each one of them.

And Mr Musukwa has hailed Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) for pledging to invest US$5 million in the development of road infrastructure in Chingola and Chililabombwe on the Copperbelt Province.

He said the mining company was committed to investing more than K25 billion in the construction of roads in the two towns.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Musukwa said the commitment by KCM to build roads would benefit the local people in the area.

He said it was important for other mining companies to emulate what KCM was doing in ploughing back resources derived from the mineral resources to the community through the construction of roads.

On Wednesday, KCM Chief Executive Officer Jeyakumar Janakaraj said the company would soon start working on some roads in Chingola through a $5 million budget as part of its programmes to contribute to the development of Zambia.