On the occasion, the minister said that the Ministry is aligned "with the promoters to launch the new phase of the project following international standards", having also taken the opportunity to congratulate them and "recommended that the conclusion of the project take place in the expected time", says a statement from the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, which VerAngola had access to.
"Here we have the opportunity to have the first copper mine in the country and bring more jobs and development to the province of Uíge", added the official.
Diamantino Azevedo also referred that "he has been following the project for many years", and is aware of the difficulties in reaching the current state.
"I believe that this step will be completed and the deadlines mentioned will be met in this concession", he said, quoted in the statement.
Addressing the authorities present at the ceremony, the holder of the Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas portfolio "asked for continued support from those responsible for the project, so that everyone respects the mining rights that the government has granted to the company, taking into account the specificity of its work", reads the note.
According to the statement, the company Shining Star Icarus – a partnership between national and Chinese businessmen – "contracted Sinohydro to build the mine and China Power to install poles and a power transmission line for the mining project".
According to Rui Lopes, Deputy General Manager of SSI, among several prospective and analytical studies, the company has already carried out hydrogeological and metallurgical studies and concluded the technical and economic feasibility study (EVTE), says the note.
Thus, adds the statement, "thirty thousand tons of contained copper is how much the company expects to obtain per year, during the ten years of the mine's useful life".
However, before starting to operate the underground mine, the company will explore "an outcrop in the open for 30 months".
In terms of investment, according to the statement, "the initial investment during the prospecting phase is close to 70 million dollars, with funding of another 250 million dollars guaranteed for the construction of the mine".
The company has 210 employees, most of whom are local, and 36 interns from the Technical Institute of Damba. However, that number is expected to increase.
"Within two months, with the start of construction of the mine, 600 more workers arrive and at the height of the contract it reaches a thousand workers", stated Rui Lopes.
The official also made it known that "the company will finance an agricultural and livestock project to supply food products to the mine and sell any surpluses", reads the statement.
It should be noted that in addition to copper, other base metals, such as zinc and lead, will also be explored.
Also this Thursday, the ministry proceeded to present the status of mining projects. According to the data, Uíge currently has three mining projects in "good" operation, of the 72 that have mining rights.
According to another communiqué from the ministry, which VerAngola had access to, the data were disclosed by the national director of Mineral Resources, Paulo Tanganha, in the presentation of the "current state" of mining projects in the province.
"In his presentation, during the meeting between Minister Diamantino Azevedo and operators in the Mineral Resources and Oil and Gas sector, within the scope of the VIII MIREMPET Consultative Council, Paulo Tanganha also said that in terms of the mining register, in the universe of projects local, 53 correspond to mining vouchers for diamond cooperatives, 12 are social projects under negotiation, five are prospecting for various mineral resources, mainly ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and two are exploring minerals such as copper, iron, manganese and quartz", reads up in the statement.
The official said that "the mining projects in operation in Uíge are at a good pace".
"We want everyone to function and eliminate idleness", he added, making it known that the ministry and the National Agency for Mineral Resources are already working towards this end.
