In its continued thrust on providing a boost to sustainable use of the country’s mineral resources, the government of Angola has granted authorisation to five new diamond exploration co-operatives, according to reports in the local media. The order issued by Minister of Geology and Mines, Francisco Queiroz, gives the bodies exploration permission for one year, which is further extendable by another four years, it was reported.

The move aims at “strengthening and accelerating the diversification of exploration and mining activities involving both the public sector and the private sector of the economy,” it was stated. The co-ops have to comply with regulations that cover proper care and maintenance of the concession areas as well as ensure that no foreigners are allowed to enter. All diamonds recovered must be sold to the official diamond trading company Sodiam, and must meet all the requirements of the Kimberley Process scheme.

A few days earlier, media reports quoting the state run mining company Endiama’s executive director, Luis Kitamba said that 12 co-ops across seven provinces had already been created. This was part of a new strategy to integrate small artisanal miners into cooperatives and encourage the use of semi-industrial methods in mining. He said that individual miners using small tools like shovels and pickaxes would not be able to achieve greater depth in exploration. He was reported to have said that this was part of the move to increase diamond production from its current level of 9 million carats per year to about 13.3 mn cts by 2022.

The five new cooperatives are spread across two provinces. Three of them have been granted concessions in the Malanje province – the Cooperativa Mineira Brilho do Mussende, in the municipality of Cangandala, with an area of ​​50.53 km2, the Cooperativa Mineira Twala Kumoxi, in the municipality of Kunda-Dya-Base, with an area of 190 km2, and Cooperativa de Pesquisa e Recursos Minerais, in the municipality of Malanje, with an area of 200 km2.

The other two come under the Lunda Norte province – the cooperatives of Txapemba Canguba, in the municipality of Cambulo, with an area of 84 km2and L & L Comércio in the municipality of Chitato, with an area of 7 km2.