Mines Minister Richard Musukwa says the decline in copper production for 2019 should not be attributed to government’s plans to introduce a new mining tax regime.

Mr Musukwa says government is aware that mining companies have formed a cartel aimed at discrediting any measures undertaken to improve the operations of the sector.

Further, the Mines Minister says it sad that a number of mining companies have not been transparent for years as they have always failed to declare dividends to government.

Mr Musukwa says as a result, this has had a negative bearing on the overall performance of the sector both in the short and long term.

PHOENIX NEWS