Edson Nunes explained that in the next 14 months, the company will assemble the exploration equipment and that it will advance in 2022. The responsible also made known that the exploration should extend for 20 years.
The responsible, cited by Angop, admitted that the exploration of these mines will help to stimulate the national economy and reduce unemployment levels, since the project should create jobs for young people in that region.
"This municipality, seen as peaceful and the second poorest in Huambo province, after Mungo, will find in the exploitation of rare lands the opportunity to improve the quality of life of the local population, with the extraction of ores such as Neodymium and Plaseodimo, used for the manufacture of electric vehicle engines, wind turbines and telephone devices," he said.
After the public hearing of the project, in order to obtain the exploration certificate from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Environment, it is necessary to consult the citizens who live near that area in order to assess the environmental impact of the project, he said.
In addition, negotiations are also underway with the Benguela Railways to transport the metals to Lobito Port.
Bonifácio Vissetaca, Longonjo municipality administrator, revealed that covid-19 has delayed the beginning of the equipment installation so that the exploration works - which in a first phase should create 500 jobs - could advance.
The "Rare Lands" reserve is composed of 17 types of rare minerals, among which Neodymium, Lanthanum, Preaseodymium, Gadolinium, Samarium, Cerium, among others.
These minerals are very valuable because they are used as raw material in the manufacture of technology devices, because of their characteristics. These substances help to conduct heat, electricity and have great magnetization capacity, being widely used in the manufacture of cell phones, hybrid cars, among others.
They are also considered rare because it is difficult to find substances of this kind in nature, doing justice to the name given to the reserve "Rare Lands".
