Operações na mina de areias pesadas de Chibuto
Maputo, 26 Oct (AIM) – The Chinese-owned company Dingsheng Minerals, which mines heavy mineral sands, in Chibuto district, in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza, may resume operations in the coming days following months of inactivity due to disruptions related to regulatory hurdles and destruction of five core production lines.
Beyond the physical destruction, the full resumption of operations was relying on the restoration of the plant’s water supply system and the acquisition of critical export equipment.
Heavy sands are deposits enriched with high-density minerals such as ilmenite, zircon, and rutile. These minerals are used in various industrial applications, such as the manufacture of ceramics, and pigments.
According to Jaime Neto, Secretary of State for Gaza province, cited by the independent paper “O País”, the arrival of tugboats at the Port of Chongoene, expected by the end of this month,—is a key step toward enabling the restart of operations.
“Some of the obstacles hindering the company’s operations are being overcome. In addition to the acquisition of the tugboats, facilities have been completed to house various state services at the Port of Chongoene, an essential piece of infrastructure for the transport and export of the company’s output”, he said.
The resumption of exports, the governor said, will allow the company to generate the revenue needed to address the demands of local communities, which include compensation and greater involvement in development projects.
The company also faces challenges in exporting its production on a large scale. According to Jaime Neto, transporting small quantities via the Port of Maputo is not economically viable, a situation that has constrained the outflow of the heavy mineral sands.
Am/