Zambia's 2015 copper output up despite power woes, weak prices

Zambia's copper production inched higher to 711,515 tonnes in 2015 from 708,000 tonnes the previous year mainly due to a new mine owned by Canada's First Quantum Minerals, the Chamber of Mines said on Friday. An electricity shortage and weaker copper prices due to slower growth by top consumer China have piling pressure on Zambia's mining industry, threatening output, jobs and economic growth in the southern African nation, and put its currency on the back foot against the dollar. The government