Africa-Press – Angola. In June 2021, press published a series of reports on some of the country’s important diamond concessions, in what became known as the “Broad project for information on geological-mining activities”, a promotion by Revista Angola Minas, which took a group of journalists in eastern Angola.
At the time, we “dipped” into the complex world of operations at the Chitotolo, Cuango, Uari, Kaixepa, Lu-nhinga and Somiluana mines. In between, a passage through the Saurimo Diamond Development Pole, then nearing completion.
Among the various projects that would be left out of the roadmap was Yetwene, whose headquarters are just over twenty-two kilometers from the commune of Camissombo, Lucapa, in Lunda-Norte.
At that time, this project was in the initial phase of reconfirming the research, reconnaissance, evaluation of secondary diamond deposits, for their effective exploitation.
One year later, the Yetwene Project is ready to go into operation, confirming the colossal investments of a consortium formed by Mountain Stability, Endiama Mining, Sociedade Mineira de Investimentos da Lunda, “Yetuene” and All Magic. activities in 2009 and resumed in 2019.
Mountain Stability, which holds 60 percent of the shares, is responsible for the investments necessary for exploration and commercialization, providing the Associação em Participações with the financial and technological resources necessary for the viability of this project.
From the Yetwene concession, which extends over 508 square kilometres, there were, however, already records of some “interesting” prospecting, research, recognition and assessment of diamond potential.
Enough for Mountain Stability, promoter of the Associação em Participación, to advance, “at its own risk”, with an investment, which already exceeds 18 million dollars, following the Mining Investment Agreement.
Prospecting Equipment
Investment was essentially directed towards the acquisition of prospecting equipment and the upgrading of extractive infrastructures on the Tchicapa, Lumanhe and Camuenge fronts, in order to guarantee the effective start-up of the exploration.
June of this year would have been the start-up month for exploration, but some “small adjustments” in the washing plants and the choice center delayed the process. Company officials, with whom the press spoke in Camissombo, expressed optimism, guaranteeing that before from 2022 the mine could go into production, joining other diamond projects in the east of the country.
When it starts operating, the project, which currently employs 212 people, mostly from adjacent areas, expects to produce 6,000 carats of diamonds per month.
Data that we had access to indicate that the investment made so far represents 89 percent with expenses under the Mining Investment Contract, while 11 percent are capital expenditures, in good rigour, money disbursed in the acquisition of some equipment and improvement of the company’s operation.
In technical equipment alone, the value already rises to seven million dollars, of which another 1,402 thousand dollars for the pre-treatment wash and more than two million for the dense medium, which are nuclear units in the diamond industry.
Investments in the mining industry, a sensitive sector, mainly due to the volatility of gem prices, were made with the large-scale development of the diamond sector in mind, using high technical standards, to be an unquestionable reference in the national market and international market, as the project’s promoters explained.
“Here (Yetwene), it couldn’t be different”, explained a company official, satisfied with the company’s evolution.
The project, as far as we were able to see, intends to do something different. Firstly, with the construction of schools, health centers, residences for traditional authorities, water supply systems and, very significantly, a program to resettle the populations living within the concession areas, which extends for 508 kilometers.
Even though it is not a small mining village, the camp is not far from it. Among workshops, laboratories, modern offices and other infrastructure, around 100 houses were built for the miners and other workers. Other infrastructures will have to be built, when the mine moves to the operations phase.
Exciting Geological Results
At the Yetwene Project, research continues to confirm more deposits of secondary diamonds, a work carried out by field geologists, especially young people who, from a very early age, have been walking through various areas of the concession.
And it is here, (fronts), where you can witness a daily frenzy of equipment, such as various machines, bulldozers, powerful excavators, tracked tractors and trucks for transporting tons of ore from the various fronts to the washhouses.
“The results are encouraging. The washing plant is prepared to receive large volumes of ore, we have equipment that can go up to 50 meters and excavators with a longer boom, which reaches 30 meters in depth”, says the person in charge of mining operations for the Project. Yetwene.
Pedro Mundele, an engineer trained in Cuba, adds that priority is given to areas with the most consistent geological results and that the two treatment units have a capacity of fifty cubic meters per hour, but which can easily reach sixty.
He explains that part of the indicators that a mining project survives is the history of previous studies, which are followed. “The geological sequence of the prospecting works is continuous. And in this aspect, we are doing well”, he reveals.
It indicates that five prospecting and production geologists, in addition to assistants, are available in the project, for the discovery of potential areas of reserves.
The head of mining operations said that prospecting work is currently concentrated on the Cangumda I, II, III, Cabuanga II, Mayala II and Chamuloca fronts, although the blocks close to the treatment units have priority, considering the availability of the fleet. .
Mine Stability
As in all diamond projects, the fight against mining within the Yetwene concession was not neglected, in order to guarantee stability throughout its perimeter.
Something that was done shortly after the signing, in 2019, of the Mineiro Investment Contract, with the contracting, for two years, of the K& P company, to take care of security and surveillance in the concession area.
This partnership was an “important milestone” for the project, as it allowed the start of prospecting without major constraints, as those responsible for the project explained.
In order to preserve the development of mining operations and follow-up of operations to combat mining outbreaks in the protection lines at the limit with the Calonda and Chinguvo Project, the Yetwene Project hired, in 2021, a private security company “Suprema”, specialized in security industrial and heritage.
A work carried out with the support and partnership of Defense and Security bodies, under the Law on Private Security Companies.
While we were visiting some fronts, we were told that there are still some areas of mining, but not enough to jeopardize the stability of the project, which has already entered a phase considered of no return.
The Yetwene Project assumes itself as “a precursor of an actively sustainable mining, with a direct impact on the socio-economic development of communities and the industry as a whole”. detect and discourage the actions of miners within the concession.
Pedro Mundele says: “The mining, if we count, starting from the Calonda project, here about ten kilometers further south of that project, with the entry of a well-equipped and trained security corps, has decreased a lot and this guarantees the stability of the project”.
Pedro Mundele, who has worked on diamond projects such as Calonda, Tchengy, Tchinguvo and Chimbongo, refers to Yetwene as “very different”, mainly because of its social responsibility, first of all for the availability of jobs and the construction of infrastructures for the population.
Integration With Communities
As mentioned above, in parallel with its “core”, which is the exploration of diamonds, in Yetwene social responsibility projects are privileged, whose impact on the communities surrounding the project is already very noticeable. to be developed and, when effective exploration begins, as mentioned by the officials of Yetwene, with whom we were in Samulambo. The chief of Samilambo, José Domingos “Carruagem”, applauds the Project’s initiatives, considering that there are many gains for the population. “Many things are changing,” he said, referring to the numerous social infrastructures.
But it’s not all. The social responsibility of the Yetwene Project also extends to higher education, with the guarantee of “professional internships” for students from the Faculties of Law, Economics, Polytechnic Institutes of Lundas Norte and Sul.
We were, in fact, witnesses of preliminary conversations between those responsible for these organic units and the Yetwene Project, for the signing of a memorandum, which could pave the way for young graduates to face an increasingly competitive job market. The experience is not new. Last year, senior technicians were recruited under “paid contracts”, many of whom got their first job.
The Voice Of Miners
At the mining camp, the press gathered some miners, from whom they heard about their daily lives at the Yetwene Project.
One of them is Moisés Nunda, a metallurgist. He spoke with satisfaction of his work, which, among others, consists in separating sterile material from the valuable. “A fascinating task,” as he puts it.
Rebeca da Silva is a mining engineer, graduated from a university in Hungary. She is in the area of maintenance, assembly and repair of pre and ore treatment washes. “These units were assembled by us, Angolan technicians”, she says, particularly proud.
Zeno Friquixi is a mechanic, welder and industrial electrician. He is part of the team that “brings life” to the washrooms, as he insisted on stressing. “We assemble, repair and manufacture parts for the different areas”, he adds, in what is seconded by Jacob José, the laundry’s field technician.
The electrical engineer, from the industrial electricity sector, Anderson Vantrois, has the mission of guaranteeing the adequate standards for the operation of the groups, for the electrification of the mining concession, with the main focus on industries and washing plants.
Anderson Vantrois is part of a team of six Angolans and a Filipino.
The person who takes care of the infrastructure, such as access roads and other elements that give life to the mining complex, such as dormitories, logistics, offices, medical clinic, workshops and warehouses is Benvindo de Jesus. He brings 18 years of experience in the mining industry.
“Different Project”
The Yetwene Project seems to be following another dynamic in the diamond sector in the country, due to the externalities it is introducing. , as is said elsewhere.
And, very significantly, it implements a program to resettle the populations living within the concession areas, in a process considered peaceful.
In what is considered a very significant gain for the Eastern Region of Angola, the Yetwene Project also invested in communication towers, ensuring connections with the whole world.
In April, for example, various social facilities were delivered to communities in the Samulambo neighborhood, by Yetwene, whose portfolio for projects under its social responsibility already exceeds 264 million kwanzas.
The broad commitment to social infrastructure, even before the start of mining operations, represents innovation. “We don’t wait for the exploration to start, to invest in the social sector. And that makes all the difference”, says one responsible for the project.
Environmental Recovery
In line with the Mining Code, the Yetwene Project Participating Association carries out diamond prospecting, without significant damage, having, in fact, prepared a study to assess the impact of mining operations on the environment and measures for its mitigation.
Lisângela da Silva, graduated in Natural Resources and Environment Engineering, is in charge of the Sustainability Department, which integrates the economic, social and environmental areas. She spoke of the landscape recovery plan, as a guarantee that, at the end of the extractive activity, the entire area will be rehabilitated, as well as the waste management plan, which ensures environmental preservation.
“The rational use of resources, without compromising future generations, is our objective”, he said, indicating that in the environmental area, work is carried out directly with exploration, which is carried out in a chain.
This allows, according to the technical environmental studies carried out, the recovery of degraded areas and waste management more in accordance with good practices, according to Lizângela da Silva, who then took the Jornal de Angola report to the so-called “granja” .
Here, we found an extensive area, prepared to produce vegetables, in the wake of the self-sustainability of the diamond project.
Situated right next to a stream, with a permanent watercourse, as are most of the Eastern Region, this farm is part of a vast area of ten hectares, also designed to produce cereals on a large scale.
The fact is that, currently, almost everything consumed in the mining camp comes from other regions of Angola and even from Namibia, with signifcant costs for logistics.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
