Crew Gold told to stop, restart Guinea mines by military

OSLO, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Mining company Crew Gold (CRU.TO) said on Monday it was told to stop, then to continue operations in Guinea as the African state's coup leaders seek to review mining deals signed under the previous regime.

The head of Guinea's military junta, which took power after the death of President Lansana Conte last week, has said that his administration will revise any "defective" mining contacts.

Crew Gold, a British-based miner listed in Toronto and Oslo (CRU.OL), has mining concessions covering nearly 2,400 square kilometres in the Lefa corridor in Guinea.

It said that on Dec. 28 Lefa managers were instructed by the military to cease mining operations and "immediately complied".

Later the same day, "management was advised that mining operations should recommence on the morning of Dec. 29 and that the review of mining concessions by the new regime would proceed while operations continue as usual," Crew Gold said.

Shares in Crew Gold were down 9.3 percent to 0.39 crowns per share at 0818 GMT on a rising Oslo bourse .OSEBX.

Guinea is the world's largest bauxite exporter, attracting some of the top metals groups such as Rio Tinto Alcan (RIO.L), Alcoa (AA.N) and Russia's United Company RUSAL (RUSL.MM).

"We will continue to operate under the laws of the country and to support our people and the Convention de Base which we and the government of Guinea have operated under for the past 15 years," Crew Gold chief Bill LeClair said in a statement.

He said the Convention called for "cooperation to ensure the benefit of all parties" to the agreement, adding: "We understand that this is a difficult time for the government and will continue to support the government in any way we can."

Crew Gold also has mines in Greenland and the Philippines. (Reporting by Wojciech Moskwa; Editing by Mike Nesbit)