Africa-Press – Angola. Five hundred tons of manganese were exported, in 2022, by Mineração de Kitota, Malanje, to the international market.
The Kitota Mine, recently visited by the Secretary of State for Mineral Resources, Jânio Victor, has proven manganese reserves of around 3.7 million tons.
This amount can rise to 12 million tons with a content that varies between 40 and 48 degrees.
In addition to the international market, Mineração supplies steel and cement factories in Luanda and Benguela, provinces with the largest industrial park in the country.
With a useful life of between 12 and 14 years, the Mine project foresees an exploration rate of 480 thousand tons/year.
Inaugurated in April 2021, by the Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, according to data available, the Mine will have extracted, so far, close to 250 thousand tons of manganese ore.
Historical studies indicate that the Kitota Mine was explored between 1950 and 1974 by the Companhia de Manganês de Angola and abandoned for 47 years, with the reserve reassessment project starting in 2016.
IN 2022, samples of manganese extracted in this first mine, located in the commune of Quizenga, municipality of Cacuso, in Malanje, were sent to Vietnam, India, China and Georgia, for analysis and a possible formalization of contracts.
In a recent report carried out, in the Mine, it was found that the degree of manganese exploited varies between 25 and 30 degrees, but there are areas in the same place with the value that is sought in the international market, which is 40 degrees.
With an installed capacity to produce 40 thousand tons of manganese/month, Mineração de Kitota is a pioneering project created with a focus on exports, without neglecting the supply of the domestic market.
The concession of 576 thousand square kilometers covers the neighboring province of Cuanza-Norte (Samba-Caju) and has a studied area of 9.8 square kilometers.
The company that operates the site has a crushing plant, to reduce the mineral to grains of different sizes, thus marking Angola’s presence on the list of producing countries.
In the delimited perimeter of the open pit mine, prospecting work continues, as there are still areas with studies to be completed.
usefulness of manganese
Manganese, according to experts, is used in the manufacture of special steels, as it improves forging properties, strength, rigidity and wear resistance.
This ore is considered an essential material in the manufacture of metallic alloys, especially combined with iron for the production of steel.
It can also be used in copper, zinc, aluminum, tin and lead alloys.
For the agriculture sector, manganese is important for photosynthesis. It acts as an activator of plant growth enzymes.
Applied to the soil, it can result in increased productivity in deficient plants.
For health, manganese is an essential mineral involved in bone formation and the metabolism of amino acids, fats, carbohydrates and cholesterol.
Human beings need manganese, as it helps in the formation of bones and maintenance of connective tissues.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
