Namibia's Skorpion Zinc strike to start Saturday

WINDHOEK, May 9 (Reuters) - Workers at Namibia's biggest zinc producer Skorpion Zinc are set to go on strike on Saturday over a pay dispute, 24 hours later than scheduled, a company spokesman said on Friday.

"We have received the (union's) notice of intent to strike now. The strike is set to start at midnight tonight," spokesman Usi Hoebeb said.

The majority of workers earlier this week voted for a strike after turning down an offer of a 10 percent wage increase. The Mineworkers Union of Namibia, the largest union in the country, is demanding a 14 percent increase.

Union officials were locked in a meeting with Skorpion Zinc management and could not immediately be reached for comment.

Hoebeb said it was too early to say how the labour action would affect Skorpion's annual 150,000 tonne output.

"We will have to assess the impact on production in due course of events, but we are doing everything we can to resolve the dispute," Hoebeb said.

The mine, owned by mining giant Anglo American (AAL.L) (AGLJ.J), produces special high-grade zinc for Asian, European and North American markets. About 10 percent of its production is exported to South Africa.

The mine is the largest of its kind in Namibia and accounts for 25 percent of the country's total power consumption. (Reporting by John Grobler; Editing by Caroline Drees and Daniel Magnowski)