Africa-Press – Angola. Angola’s first gold refinery, which is being built in the Viana Industrial Park, in Luanda Province, is expected to be completed later this year, the executive director of the public National Diamonds Company (ENDIAMA), Laureano Receado Paulo.
The refinery aims to promote the country’s mineral value chain by transforming gold into a finished product rather than exported raw material, according to the director.
The construction initiative is being led by the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, through Geoangol, a company under the supervision of ENDIAMA, and the inauguration is scheduled for later this year.
Laureano Receado Paulo, speaking to the press at Expo Catoca 30 years – which is being held under the slogan “Here, where diamonds meet the community” – said that with this action, the country is preparing to diversify the mining industry.
According to him, Angola has great geological potential, but still faces challenges in valuing precious and semi-precious stones other than diamonds.
The speaker who addressed the topic “Angola’s geological potential” at the event, stressed that although this segment has not been explored in the past, studies are underway to prove the economic viability of alluvial and semi-precious stones that arise in the kimberlite extraction process.
He noted that, in the diamond sector, a cutting centre had been set up in Saurimo, in the province of Lunda Sul, and that a Presidential Decree had been issued reserving 20% of diamond production for cutting in Angola.
According to him, these initiatives linked to the future functioning of the gold refinery open up opportunities for the implementation of the national jewellery industry.
“With the gold refinery and diamond cutting, the conditions will be in place to develop an industry that we do not yet have. At that point, everyone will be able to have access to items such as diamond rings”, he emphasised.
As for prices, he explained that they will depend on the quality of the gold and diamonds, but assured that they will be affordable, allowing every Angolan to purchase jewellery produced in the country.
The Catoca 30 Years Expo, which runs until Thursday, includes thematic panels, conferences, business networking sessions and cultural presentations.
The future of the diamond subsector: Reserves, Innovation and Added Value, The role of Banking and Insurance in the Transformation of the Angolan Mining Sector and Women of Catoca – 30 years of courage, work and inspiration, are among the topics under discussion at the event.
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