Luanda - The De Beers Group has said it recently discovered six potential diamond exploration areas in Angola, as part of the studies it is carrying out this year in the northeast of the country, its CEO Al Cook said Wednesday.
The company’s CEO made the statements, after an audience with Angolan president João Lourenço, to whom he informed about these and other advances in the studies that have been carried out.
The research follows the implementation of the Strategic memo on diamonds signed early in February between the Angolan government and South Africa’s company.
The memo aims to expand De Beers partnership with the country, through the signing of two Mineral Investment Contracts (CIM) in 2022 for licensed areas in northeast Angola, where exploration activities are currently underway.
Under the terms of the agreement, the De Beers Group is prospecting primary diamond deposits in an area of 9,984 km, in the municipalities of Saurimo, Dala and Muconda, Lunda Sul province, and a 9,701 km area in the municipalities of Chitato, Lucapa and Cambulo, in Lunda Norte.
Al Cook said the company is halfway through the aerial surveys and expressed his satisfaction with these six achievements, adding that the next step will be to find out if there are diamonds underground, which involves carrying out geological studies, which could take a year or two to certify the presence of kimberlite.
He pointed out that two kimberlites have already been awarded to the multinational, in Muconda (Lunda-Sul) and Lumboma (Lunda Norte), under the contract signed with Endiama in 2022.
“We have two kimberlites on the way, so this will continue for a while. If we are successive and find diamonds we will build diamond mines,” Cook said.
Al Cook said he believes that Angola is the best “place on earth to explore for diamonds, which is why De Beers prioritizes cooperation with the country”.
He said it was a billion dollar investment that would employ thousands of people.
De Beers' return
De Beers' renewed interest in diamond projects in Angola stems from the reforms implemented by the Angolan government in this sector, which give greater transparency to the processes for granting mining rights, as well as greater participation in the socio-economic development of mining areas in particular and the country in general.
After withdrawing from Angola in 2012, the multinational returned to the country in 2022, signing two Mineral Investment Contracts with Endiama.
Under the contract, the multinational is investing 33.2 million US dollars for the initial primary and secondary diamond deposits prospection in Muconda (Lunda-Sul) and Lumboma (Lunda Norte) concessions, holding 90% of the share capital in each mining concession, while Endiama holds 10%.The two contracts last 35 years, of which five are reserved for prospecting. ART/TED/AMP
