Huambo — The Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, on Thursday, in central Huambo province, defended the need for a sustainable gold exploration, with the aim to build a value chain and diversify the national economy.
Speaking at the workshop on Mineral Resources and the Gold Value Chain in Angola being held in Huambo city, the minister highlighted the need to attract concrete gold exploration projects, such as the construction of a gold refinery to promote social and economic development to create jobs locally.
The minister added that the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas is committed to setting up a legal tool to regulate gold and diamond mining to discourage gold digging and all illegal activities.
Diamantino Azevedo recognized the existence of potential and capacity to achieve social and economic self-sufficiency, with the participation of national and foreign entrepreneurs, in accordance with the requirements of the Angolan legislation.
The minister said the aim of this bill is to prevent the dispersion of financial revenue generated by the potential of Angola's mineral resources, so as to provide economic values that will sustain the national economy, for the well-being of the population.
Diamantino Azevedo underscored that the attraction of various projects in the mineral resources sector must be supported by an industrialization program capable of boosting development, reducing imports of essential economic products, stimulating self-sufficiency and, consequently, the fight against poverty.
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The minister pointed to the Angolan government's efforts to build and increase the production capacity of the oil refineries in Cabinda, Soyo (Zaire), Lobito (Benguela) and Luanda, in order to reduce imports of fuel products.
He also called for the construction of a steel industry to exploit iron and manufacture steel in the country, whose projects are being developed to reduce imports of the raw material for construction.
Huambo governor, Lotti Nolika, on her turn, pointed to illegal exploitation as one of the biggest obstacles to the satisfactory development of the mining sector.
The governor said the local government is working intensively with the National Police to put an end to the illegal exploitation of mineral resources, with a view to fostering social and economic growth.
Lotti Nolika said that Huambo province has 16 mineral prospecting projects for diamonds, gold, copper, ferrous metals and rare earths.
Angola to get first gold refinery in 2025
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the managing director of Geoangol, Domingos Kimba Baptista, said Angola would have its first gold refinery in 2025, through a 9 million US dollars investment.
He added that the project includes training staff, building the factory and equipping it with state-of-the-art, modernized equipment for the economic development and certification of gold in the country.
Baptista said the refinery is to processes 25 kilograms of gold a day, and that it is being built in Luanda province.LT/JSV/ALH/AMP
