LUSAKA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's copper output totaled around 208,992 metric tonnes during the first quarter of 2026, down 4.27 percent from the same period last year, the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development said on Wednesday.

Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka, the country's capital, Minister of Mines and Minerals Development Paul Kabuswe said the output was generated by both large- and small-scale mining operations, while attributing the decline to operational challenges faced by some large-scale mining firms.

However, he expressed optimism that the country remains on course to achieve its target of producing one million metric tonnes of copper this year, citing improved investor confidence and favorable international mineral markets.

Zambia is one of Africa's largest copper producers, with the metal playing an important role in the country's economy as well as in its export earnings and fiscal revenues.