Cuito – The Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas (MIREMPET), Diamantino Azevedo, highlighted Thursday in the city of Cuito, Bié province, the need for the country to continue promoting gold production, which is still going very timidly.
The government official was speaking to the press, moments after arriving in this province in the central/southern region of the country, to direct the work of the IX meeting of the Consultative Council of this Ministerial Department, which will take place until Friday.
Diamantino Azevedo said that the province of Lunda Sul is the one with the most potential, which is why a gold refinery is being built there.
He also said that the Diamond Development Hub was created in the same province, in the city of Saurimo, where conditions are being created for the installation of more diamond cutting and polishing companies, as the country now has nine companies in the sector.
Until 2017, there was only one. “With cut diamonds and refined gold, we have a sufficient base for the installation of the jewelry industry to leverage this economic segment”, he highlighted.
While in Bié, he also considered it to be strong in mineral resources, which requires greater attention in its exploration.
Data from the Department of Standardization and Good Practices of the Regulation and Markets Directorate of the National Mineral Resources Agency, cited by Jornal de Economia & Finances, in one of its editions in April, indicate that, from 2021 to 2023, 38 titles were issued miners for gold prospecting in the provinces of Huambo, Huíla and Cabinda.
For effective exploration, 11 mining titles have been issued and are taking place in the provinces of Huíla, Cabinda, Huambo and Bengo.
In terms of production, between 2019 and 2024, data shared by the agency indicates that the overall total, over five years, is 7,672.51 fine ounces.
Gold production in Angola, from 2023 to 2024, is expected to rise from 3.75 to 4.68 thousand fine ounces, an annual growth of 24.80 percent.
These goals are set out in the National Development Plan 2023-2027.
Under the motto “Fostering the Value Chain of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas for Economic Diversification and Sustainable Development”, the IX Advisory Council of MIREMPET, in addition to taking stock of the last conclave, will analyze the main lines of the National Development 2023/2027 of the sector and discuss with the invited delegates the creation of value chains for the different minerals existing in Angola.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas is the auxiliary Ministerial Department of the Holder of Executive Power, responsible for formulating, conducting, executing, controlling and monitoring the Executive's policy relating to geological and mineral activities, oil, gas and biofuels.
Its activities include prospecting, exploration, development and production of minerals, crude oil and gas, refining, petrochemicals, storage, distribution and marketing of mineral and petroleum products, as well as the production and marketing of biofuels, without prejudice to the protection of environment. The eighth consultative council for this sector took place in the province of Uíge.LB/PLB/TED
