Konkola Copper Mines spokesperson Sam Equamo has said in a news statements released in Lusaka that operations at Nkana smelter have now resumed and full production is normal.

Equamo said 12 workers have since been fired as a result of the protest. KCM, majority-owned by London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc, did not say what impact the one-day shutdown had on production.

It forecast on Monday that it would raise cathode copper output to 250,000 tonnes in the 2008/2009 fiscal year from 150,000 tonnes the previous year.

The labour protest was prompted by reports that union representatives had agreed to a deal that fell short of workers' wage demands.

Union officials are continuing to brief members on the details of a new collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated last week.