ANGOP - Angola Press News Agency

Speaking to the press today, regarding the balance of the activities carried out by the Angolan National Diamond Trading Company (Sodiam), Endiama's Mining Geology Administrator, Ana Feijó, said that during the period under review, 22.766,88 carats of diamonds were traded at an average price of $ 64.62, with total revenues around $ 1.7 million.

According to the manager, among the cooperatives in production at the country level, only 10 cooperatives are producing diamonds, highlighting Campo sunjige, Queen Nzinga Mbandi, Chitengue Chalanja.

Of the 266 cooperatives in the country, 234 are inoperative, 14 in Bié province, Cuanza Sul with 9, Cuanza Norte with one, Lunda Sul with 52, Lunda Norte with 69, Malanje with 42 and Uíje with 47.

Since September 2018, as part of the transparency operation, 32,000 carats of diamonds were seized, and during that period 268 mining concessions were granted.

On the occasion, Secretary of State for Mineral Resources for Geology and Mines, Jânio da Rosa Corrêa Victor, said that ongoing reforms in the oil and gas, diamonds, ornamental stones and other sub-sectors are aimed at restructuring and conferring greater competitiveness, transparency and efficiency to the activities inherent to Oil & Gas and Geology & Mines.

He underscored the need for companies to comply with all the law and organization established by the ministry, so as not to lose the mining concession.

Based on the ongoing transparency operation since 2018, the Ministry has received 750 applications for licensing, of which only 241 cooperatives are being reorganized in accordance with the Diamond Semi-Industrial Enterprises Operating Regulation (DP No. 85 of 21 March 2019).

Angola annually produces 9 million carats of diamonds from semi-industrial and industrial exploitation, but authorities plan to extend annual production to 14 million carats by 2022.