Angola’s first gold refinery, currently under construction at the Viana Industrial Complex in Luanda, is expected to be commissioned in the second half of 2024, with 23 young Angolans to undergo training in Portugal, a ministerial source revealed .
According to the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas of Angola, construction work on the Gold Refinery, an initiative of this agency through the Angolan company GEOANGOL, has reached a completion rate of approximately 35%.
The ministry stressed in a statement that, in parallel with the construction work, the procurement processes of key equipment abroad are underway, as well as the initial certification.
The training of national technicians is also taking place, and the training of 23 young Angolans in the most diverse specialties is currently taking place in the city of Porto, Portugal, he added.
With the launch of this industrial segment, the note said, all raw gold produced in the country can be refined locally, adding value to the raw material and encouraging the emergence of additional services for the business.
The Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas also emphasizes that gold refining plays a crucial role in various segments of economic, financial and industrial importance.
“With the implementation of this project, it will certainly contribute to the process of economic diversification, to the increase in employment and collection of tax revenues in favor of the state,” he stressed.
The Angolan provinces of Cabinda, Cuanza Norte, Bengo, Huíla and Huambo are currently recording gold deposits, and there are already active mining companies that hold exploration rights.
The foundation stone for the construction of Angola’s first gold refinery was laid in 2022 by Angolan Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo.
Source: DN
