Zambia's largest mining union has warned that it would opposed the government's attempts to bring in Vale, a Brazilian copper mining company, to operate in the southern African country, saying the company had no regards for human rights.

Brazilian President Lula da Silva recently visited Zambia and signed a number of agreements with the Zambian government, including an investment worth 600 million U.S. dollars in the mining industry.

But the Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) said in a statement obtained by Xinhua on Wednesday that it will oppose attempts to bring the Brazilian investment in the country's mining industry.

"We have lots of information about Brazil and Brazilian investment. From Brazil emerges Vale, which is the second-largest producer of copper in the whole world. But Vale has got the worst human rights records in as far as investment in the mines is concerned," MUZ President Rayford Mbulu said.

He said much as they had been massive attraction of investment in the mining sector, the question of credibility of the investors that were being brought remained unanswered, adding that the Brazilian firm which had employed people under the United Steel Workers in Canada had subjected its employees to serious violations.