Angola first gold refinery to produce up to 50 kilograms per day
The laying of the first stone marks the start of construction of the first Gold Refinery in Angola.
Its top production capacity will be 50 kilograms per day, at an investment of around $ 7 m, according to the country´s government.
The Minister for Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Azevedo, and the Governor of Luanda, Ana Paula de Carvalho, laid the first stone for construction of the first gold refinery in Angola, on the morning Monday, June 27 at the Viana Industrial Hub in Luanda.
Estimated at $ 7 m, the refinery, which is small to medium-sized, will produce 25 kilograms per day, and may reach 50 kilograms via more shifts.
The amount, according Mr Azevedo, includes construction, equipment, training and consulting services, essentially in the contrasting parts.
It will be built in an area of 2,470 square metres, which will include an area for refining, a laboratory and a contrasting shop.
The gold refinery will be architecturally integrated into Geoangol’s facilities, but will be an autonomous unit with 30 workers.
The promoters of this project are Geoangol, SA, a company owned by Endiama (83.95%), Fanacy Ways- Investimentos, Participações e Serviços Lda (12.85%) and Sondominas (3.20%).
An independent body will carry out a study of possible environmental impacts, which have already been kept to a minimum, said one of the project managers, explaining that the refinery includes a system for treating gases before they are expelled and liquid waste will be treated (neutralised) with appropriate reagents before being disposed of.
“The refinery will be sufficient to refine the gold that will be produced over the next five years” Mr Azevedo said suggesting the possibility of being able to increase its production with further investment should the need arise, as well as building other refineries.
Five of the 12 gold projects with Exploration Titles have already started production and export of the mineral, and there are 40 others with Exploration Titles, according to the minister, who explained that the country’s entire gold production is currently exported.
Angola joined the list of gold producing and exporting countries in 2019 and has already exported 89 kilos of gold, the minister said.
