Questions are mounting over the feasibility of Zambia’s national mining milestones after official data confirmed that copper production contracted by 4.27% during the first quarter of 2026. This initial quarterly setback places early pressure on the government’s ambitious 1 million metric tonne annual production target, a benchmark the country narrowly missed last year. According to consolidated data confirmed by Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe, total copper output for the first quarter of 2026 dropped to approximately 208,992 metric tonnes, down from the 218,308 metric tonnes recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. This quarterly decline follows an...
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