The Zambian government recently announced an upward adjustment of the tax regime for mining firms. They say the taxes are designed to capture a greater share of windfall profits from the mining companies operating in the country...Announcing the new regime in April, Ng’andu Maganda, Minister of Finance and National Planning, said "...with this (new tax), the government will be able to improve education and health services and make investments that will create more jobs...and improve livelihoods of Zambian citizens,"...Some mining companies are considering taking legal action to prevent changes to the development agreements they have already signed...The government...is also tightening protection of the environmental laws...There are some encouraging signs of enforcement: just last year a manganese mine owned by Chiman Manufacturing Limited was closed down for exceeding allowable air pollution limits which affected nearby townships...[Also refers to Equinox Minerals]