Saurimo - Catoca Mining Society may be turned into an underground mine, due to its lifespan, which is around 10 to 13 years, its manager Benedito Manuel told ANGOP Friday.
Located in the eastern Lunda Sul Province, Catoca Mining Society has existed for 28 years and is the world's fourth largest open-pit mine responsible for over 75 percent of Angola’s diamond production.
It employs about 10,000 direct and indirect workers.
Benedito Manuel said that within this period the open pit mine will reach the exhaustion of the reserves at a depth of 600 metres, hence the need to find another way of mining, otherwise it will stop production within the established deadline.
Manuel stated that studies indicate that until this limit is reached open-pit mining cannot take place, however there is already information that below 600 meters depth a lot of diamonds can be found.
That is why, at this moment, Manuel indicated that drilling surveys are being done to obtain data that will serve to make feasibility studies for the construction of an underground mine.
He underlined that if this project is built it will increase the life span of Catoca, in terms of mining, and, on the other hand, prospecting is currently being done in the concession, where other mineable objects have been discovered.
Diamond production
Benedito Manuel said the diamond production for 2023, taking into account the very adverse mineral geological conditions, will experience a reduction in terms of recoverable carats.
He added that the company is currently going through the xenolitic belt (layer of rocks, whose characteristics take much effort to mine and are superior, by virtue of the capacity of the rocks).
