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By Hicks Sikazwe Zambia will not reverse the 20 percent mineral tax implemented last month, despite protests from mining firms operating in the country. The government has maintained that the revised rates from three to eight percent for underground mining and six to 20 percent for open pit operations was …

By Potipher Tembo THE controversy surrounding the reopening of Zambia’s largest zinc and lead mine located in Kabwe, Central Province, has persisted for too long and should be resolved. The mine was closed way back in 1994 for economic reasons and has been a centre of controversy as many conglomerates …

By Potipher Tembo SOON after being elected, Zambia’s sixth president, Edgar Lungu has been challenged by citizens living in mine areas to pay more attention to their problems. Those who talked complained that for a long time now, they had not benefited from the mineral wealth. They said now that …

ZESCO’S performance has been poor, energy minister Christopher Yaluma said yesterday after announcing the appointment of Victor Mundende as Zesco’s new managing director. Mundende has replaced Cyprian Chitundu, whom Yaluma said would be redeployed in the Ministry of Energy. The changes at Zesco management comes barely two days after Yaluma …

TRANSPARENCY International Zambia says the false reporting of copper exports by the Central Statistical Office is an indictment on the competence and capacity of the institution. Last week during the signing of an MoU on a new Mineral Value Chain Monitoring Framework with six government ministries, Norwegian Ambassador to Zambia …

KONKOLA Copper Mines still owes ZCCM-IH over US$59 million under a Settlement Agreement that was signed in February 2013, according to the latest Auditor General’s report. The Auditor General’s Report on Accounts of Parastatal Bodies and other Statutory Institutions for the 2013 financial year stated that the mining company did …

LUSAKA — Zambia’s new president Edgar Lungu on Thursday re-appointed Christopher Yaluma as mines minister in Africa’s second-largest copper producer, to help end a row with mining companies over new royalties and tax refunds. The simmering disputes, coming at a time when copper is near 5½-year lows and economic growth …

Zambia’s commerce minister said on Tuesday that payment of mining royalties, which Zambia recently increased, can be deferred until companies have sufficient cash flow if they are not in a position to pay immediately. Zambia’s government said last year that it would scrap a corporate income tax of 30 percent …

Despite the challenges of continued decline in commodity prices and the lack of return on investment, there remains a great opportunity on the continent for mining to grow, professional services firm KPMG South Africa CEO Moses Skosana said recently. Sharing his insights ahead of the 2015 Investing in African Mining …

Zambia’s new president to reverse a hike in mining royalties may come too late to revive investment in the sector, with confidence among foreign mining companies shaken and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo looking a potential better bet. Eager to fill a hole in its finances, the government said last …