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Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) -- The Democratic Republic of Congo's state-owned gold miner began talks with Moto Goldmines Ltd. as part of its process of
renegotiating mining contracts. Representatives of the Balcatta, Australia-based company met with officials of Office des Mines d'Or de Kilo-Moto, or Okimo, to discuss its gold concessions in northeastern Congo, said Taty Kitume, personal assistant to Okimo Chief Executive Officer Will Bafoa. ``The negotiations started today,'' Kitume said by phone from Kinshasa, the capital. ``Moto Goldmines is first. Then will be AngloGold and then Mwana.''

     Congo, which has a third of the world's cobalt and 4 percent of all copper, is seeking to boost revenue from mining by improving the terms of
contracts with mining companies in the government's favor. The government is reviewing 61 deals, including those with Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., the largest publicly traded copper producer, and AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., Africa's biggest gold miner.

     Last week, Congo's Mines Ministry published the terms of reference for the negotiations, which will be used by state- owned miners in talks with
their private joint-venture partners. La Societe Miniere de Bakwanga, Congo's state-owned diamond miner also known as Miba, will complete its negotiations by Sept. 20, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Christine Tusse said today by the phone from Mbuji-Mayi in central Congo. ``The Miba contracts don't pose any major problems so there's not much to renegotiate,'' Tusse said. BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's largest mining company, and De Beers, the world's biggest diamond producer, have exploration deals with Miba that are under review.
     Gecamines, the state-owned mining company, hasn't started negotiations yet, Chief Executive Officer Paul Fortin said in a mobile-phone text message today. Talks ``should begin in approximately two weeks,'' he said.