Luanda – Angolan president João Lourenço announced Monday that at least 29 diamond cutting factories are under construction in the country, with the aim to add value to the rough mineral and create more jobs in the high-tech industry.
The Angolan President, who was delivering the State of the Nation Address, said of the 29 factories, 25 are being built in the Saurimo Diamond Pole (Lunda Sul) and four in Dundo Diamond Pole (Lunda Norte).
In addition to these factories, in February a diamond cutting factory with capacity to cut 5,000 carats of rough diamond per month was inaugurated in Lunda Sul creating 120 new jobs, adding to seven, the number of cutting factories in Angola.
The Head of State said the country's diamond cutting industry is a reality, with a continuous demonstration of growth capacity.
As for exploration projects, the Statesman recalled that in April this year the "Yetwene" diamond project was completed and that this year "Luaxe" will be inaugurated in Lunda Sul, which will become the country's largest diamond project to date along with the "Lulo" project in Lunda Norte.
There are currently 16 companies operating in the Angolan diamond exploration market and roughly 41 prospecting projects.
This year, Angola's National Diamond Company (ENDIAMA E.P) plans to increase its production to 12 million carats, surpassing last year's figure of around nine million carats.
Mining potential
Regarding the exploitation of Angola's mining potential, the Head of State highlighted the Lufu gold project in Cabinda Province and the construction of the Gold Refinery in Luanda, with capacity to initially refine 10 kilograms of the product per day and turn it into bars, whose conclusion is scheduled for 2025.
The president emphasised that pig iron is currently being exploited in the country, with the entry into operation of the Cutato-Cuchi mining and steel project in eastern Cuando Cubango Province.
João Lourenço said currently the Kassinga mining and steel project is being implemented in Jamba (Huila province) which will produce around 4.1 million tonnes of iron concentrate for export and feed the future Namibe steelworks, producing steel for the national industry.
The president announced that it is expected to be concluded in 2024, the construction of the Mavoio-Tetelo copper mine, which includes the municipality of Maquela do Zombo and Damba, Uíge Province and the Cuimba municipality in Zaire Province, covering the exploration of associated minerals such as cobalt, lead and zinc, with a capacity to produce around 4,000 tonnes of copper concentrate per day.
The president also pointed out that the government is currently focused on the exploration of non-metallic mineral resources, namely phosphates, potash and limestone.
João Lourenço informed that a phosphate fertilizer production project is being implemented through the construction in Cabinda province.
The president added that currently an ammonia and urea production project is underway in Zaire province, which will produce 1.2 million tonnes of granulated urea a year to boost the development of agricultural activity and improve food security.
According to the President, in the medium term Angola will no longer need to import fertilizers, as it will be able to meet fundamental domestic needs and export national production.
For this goal to be achieved, OPAIA business group and the Zaire provincial government have signed in Luanda an agreement to grant title to 152 hectares for the installation of the country's largest fertiliser industry.
With a production capacity of 1.2 million tonnes a year, the factory is due to start operating in the first quarter of 2027 budgeted at 2.2 billion dollars under investment of the OPAIA group.QCB/PPA/MRA/AMP
