[2019-05-30] Angola’s government grants diamond mining licenses to 77 cooperatives

Source: Macauhub

Seventy-seven cooperatives have been authorised to explore diamonds in several provinces of Angola by state diamond company Endiama, according to an official announcement.

The spokesperson for Operation Transparency’s Advanced Command post, commissioner António José Bernardo, said the cooperatives will operate in the provinces of Lunda Norte (34), Lunda Sul (17), Malanje (12), Uige (eight), Kwanza Sul (five) and Kwanza Norte (one).

The commissioner said that, with these authorisations granted to cooperatives, the State intends to ensure compliance with the legal rules in force for mining activity in the country, according to the Angop news agency.

António José Bernardo said that cooperatives have to provide information to Endiama and diamond trading company Sodiam about the results of their activity, as well as being legally obliged to sell the extracted diamonds to legally authorised institutions.

The second phase of Operation Transparency, which has been underway since 15 May, has already seized 700 diamonds held by illegal miners as well as US$70,000 in cash, added to more than 34,000 carats and US$1 million seized in the first phase.