The Angolan government has awarded two mining rights to local and foreign companies to prospect and exploit diamonds in the country, according to news reports.
It also awarded permits for two phosphate concessions.
This was the first public tender held by the Angolan government to award mining concessions under the new Mining Code.
Macauhub reports that the Camafuca-Camazambo diamond concession in Lunda Norte Province was awarded to North American company Ishangol LLC, while the B&A Somipa Consortium was grated the Tchitengo diamond concession, which covers the provinces of Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul.
The B&A was a Brazilian firm with extensive experience in the diamond industry, while Somipa was an Angolan company, which already had experience in the local diamond industry.
Endiama chairperson Ganga Júnior was quoted as saying that the two diamond concessions were previously awarded to local and foreign firms but failed to conduct any meaningful work.
“We had to work towards terminating the previous contracts…,” he said.
Ganga Júnior said investments in the two concessions were more than $150 million each.
“Now we are just going to go deeper, proceed to the negotiation and signing of the respective contracts,” said Ganga Júnior.
“The essential work has been done, now the negotiation doesn’t seem to take that long.”
Angola received six bids for the diamond concessions.
The Camafuca-Camazamba kimberlite has reserves of 209 million cubic meters of ore, with estimated 23,2 million carats, while the Tchitengo concession was a result of the merger of three previous concessions (Tchiúzo, Itengo and Tchiege).
Tchiúzo was studied up to a depth of 350 meters and had reserves of 63 million tonnes of ore with potential to produce about 27 million carats.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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