Africa-Press – Angola. The country is expected to significantly increase its sources of revenue due to the entry into production of the Lombe Mining and Mapele gold exploration projects, in the provinces of Cabinda and Huíla, starting this semester, whose prospecting work was recently granted by the National Mineral Resources Agency.
The information is contained in the report of the National Agency for Mineral Resources (ANRM), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, pointing to the entry into production of four new ferrous and non-ferrous metal exploration projects from 2025, with emphasis on the Kassala Kitungo, Cassinga (iron), Niobonga (Niobium and Iron) and Bolongongo (Manganese, Iron and Quartz) projects.
ANRM supports this forecast based on the increase in the gold ore washing capacity of the Buco Zau project from a current average of 30 to 180 tons per hour, while the completion of the washing tests at the Lufo project, with installed capacity to process 150 tons per hour, is underway.
The report attributes relevance to the Chicuamone project, in Huíla, which is expected to increase the current installed capacity of the washing plant from 50 to over 100 tons per hour, while also highlighting the future importance of the IMA project, in Huíla, whose gold production phase is scheduled to begin next year.
The province of Huíla, according to the report, should also make a major contribution to increasing the supply of gold on the national market through the entry into production of the Mpopo Project, where a new gold processing plant with the capacity to process 250 tons per hour was recently installed.
Iron ore
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas has outlined among its priorities, in the second half of this year, the implementation of the support program for ferrous metal producers, in order to stimulate the entry into production of the Cutato-Cuchi pig iron exploration project, located in the province of Cuando Cubango.
This alignment also includes actions aimed at promoting the entry into operation of the Kassala-Kitungo project, by 2026, which aims to produce iron, at a time when the process of reassessing data resulting from previous work is underway to define the parameters for preparing the Technical, Economic and Financial Feasibility Study (EVTEF).
In addition to the above-mentioned projects, mine development work is underway and complementary research and evaluation studies of mineral deposits have been completed to increase existing reserves and implement the Kassinga mining-steel project in the province of Huíla.
Manganese
The construction of the Nimbe Steelworks, until 2027, aims to stimulate the increase in Manganese production, while the Kitota project is already in the phase of complementary survey work, adjustments to the processing plant, research and mineral evaluation with a view to identifying mineral reserves and consequent production.
Mirempet aims to support producers of copper and other non-ferrous metals, in a program that already includes the Mavoio-Tetelo Project, among others, whose mining development work, design of infrastructures to support operations, such as tailings dams, access roads, and bases for installing workshops, are already underway.
The Niobonga Project, in the province of Huíla, is one of the most significant in terms of prospecting and exploration of non-ferrous metals, with emphasis on mining development for the production of niobium and its associates (phosphate and iron ore), with production expected to begin in the first half of 2026.
Feasibility study of Longonjo rare earths
The Longonjo project, located in the province of Huambo, whose feasibility study was recently updated, represents one of the main investments in the exploration of rare earth elements, with the production phase scheduled to start in early 2026, according to the report by the National Mineral Resources Agency.
Lithium prospecting at the Angolithium Project in Namibe is also at an advanced stage, similar to the prospecting work for base metals by the multinational Angloamerican in the provinces of Cunene and Moxico, at a time when prospecting work for base metals is also underway by the companies Ivanhoe Mines in the provinces of Moxico, Cuando Cubango and Zaire. The multinational Rio Tinto is also active in the province of Moxico.
“With the start of work on these projects, an increase in prospecting activities is expected, with partial completion expected for 2027, which will ensure the use of non-metallic mineral resources, namely phosphates and potassium for the production of fertilizers and limestone for soil correction”, informs ANRM.
The ANRM Plan also includes programs for the use of non-metallic mineral resources. In addition to the limestone exploration for soil correction currently underway in the province of Huíla, other limestone prospecting and exploration projects have been licensed in different locations, with production expected to begin next year.
“The ANRM agenda also focuses, during the second half of the current year, on promoting the production of fertilizers using phosphate, a project carried out by the company Minbos, in Cabinda, which is carrying out work to develop the mine and resettle the population, with a view to starting construction of the factory.
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