Asked whether Barrick was considering investing in Zambia's Mopani Copper Mines, Bristow declined to answer, saying only that he was engaging with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema's new administration. Zambia is looking for an outside investor to reinvigorate Mopani, which needs a big cash injection to ramp up production. Bristow said Zambia got "ripped off" when its previous government took on $1.5 billion in debt to buy Mopani back from Glencore (OTC: GLNCY ). "Glencore sold at a very high price to the state when they left, and that's a challenge to try and unwind that," Bristow said. Glencore declined to comment. Zambia will have to increase copper production to utilize its smelting capacity, and make the Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines smelters more efficient, Bristow said. Barrick's Lumwana mine in Zambia supplies to both smelters.