THE Government has revoked 150 prospecting mining licences after respective holders failed to comply with the law.

The prospecting licences were cancelled between June and December 2012.

Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development permanent secretary Victor Mutambo said the prospecting licences were cancelled as a result of failure by the prospecting license owners to engage in active prospecting.

This is contrary to the earlier article which said the ministry had revoked 150 large-scale mining licences.

Dr Mutambo explained in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that most of the prospecting licences that were revoked were dormant and owners had failed to pay area charges.

He said some of the prospecting licences were issued outside the provision of the law hence the move by the Government to withdraw them.