Luanda, Dec. 30, 2025 (Lusa) - Angola's Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas has announced that the country has 16 structural projects for prospecting and exploring mineral resources, but only 11 of these are active.
At least 16 projects dedicated to the prospecting and exploration of different minerals, such as diamonds, iron, copper, phosphate, rare earths, lithium and gold, are registered in the mineral resources sub-sector, but only eleven, or 68.75%, are active, meaning that five structural projects in the mineral resources sub-sector (31.25%) are at a standstill, according to the final communiqué of the 12th Meeting of the Ministry's Restricted Advisory Council, released on Monday evening.
"Overall, the indicators presented are satisfactory at around 69%, but there is an urgent need to improve measures aimed at fully achieving the objectives set," the document states, without specifying the reasons for the paralysis of these projects.
As for the Angola Gold Refinery, implemented by Endiama, participants at the meeting were informed that the construction of infrastructure, acquisition of equipment, and technical and professional training of future staff have been completed.
Within the scope of structural projects related to the diamond segment, seven projects are underway aimed at prospecting and researching primary and secondary diamond deposits in the provinces of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Malanje, according to the statement.
With regard to the sector's Development Plan for the five-year period 2023-2027, the diamond segment plans to build 19 diamond cutting factories in three phases, the first of which is 100% complete.
As for the oil and gas subsector, in line with the Oil Concession Allocation Strategy, 64 blocks were negotiated between 2019 and 2025, of which 37 were awarded and 27 are awaiting approval and/or negotiation, the statement said.
For the Petroleum Derivatives segment, the construction and implementation of 46 privately-owned filling stations is planned for the period from 2023 to 2027, of which 22 have been completed. The implementation of the conditions for the installation of infrastructure related to the Petroleum Products Analysis Laboratory is underway, it adds.
Participants at the meeting, which took place in Luanda, concluded that, in order to ensure the success of projects in the sector, it is necessary to involve all levels of decision-making in defining objectives, setting targets and monitoring their implementation in a timely manner.
They also recommended that the Geological Institute of Angola (IGEO) promote actions to publicise its potential and optimise its human, technical and technological capital, and that the National Agency for Mineral Resources and related institutions intensify and periodically monitor the development and implementation of structural mining projects.
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