The Lunhinga mine in Angola’s eastern province of Lunda Norte is expected to produce 20,000 carats of diamonds per month, according to the coordinator of the Lunhinga project.

Aderito Gaspar told the press that the mine, located in the Xa-cassau commune in the municipality of Lucapa, would double its production from the current 10,000 carats monthly to 20,000 carats from the second half of this year.

He added that the increase in diamond production was due to the entry into a new treatment plant scheduled for the second half of 2021.

The project, which has a concession area of 32,500 hectares, will be explored over a period of five years.

The mine produced 322,730 carats of diamonds from 2017 to 2020, Mr Gaspar disclosed. 

According to the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, gold is the most valuable resource apart from oil and gas in Nigeria.

It noted that a large deposit of alluvial and primary deposits and “proven reserves” spread across several North-west and South-West parts of the country. 

“It should be noted that gold production in Africa alone accounts for approximately 21 per cent of the world total, and Nigeria seeks to join this market. 

“As the most familiar metal to most people, gold is commonly used for jewellery, dentistry; it is used for scientific and electronic instruments, computers circuitry, as an electrolyte in the electroplating industry, and also in many applications in the aerospace and defence industry,” said the ministry.

(Xinhua/NAN)