The Ministry of Geology and Mining, Government of Angola has authorised artisanal mining cooperatives to prospect for diamonds in new areas in Malanje province covering over 410 square kilometres, according to media reports. The authorisations were signed by Minister Francisco Queiroz, it added.

The prospecting activity will be on a semi-industrial basis, the report stated, saying that the government has suggested “that the aims of integrating the artisanal miners can be achieved in an effective way through semi-industrial production combined with artisanal production.”

This permission was granted to three cooperatives – the MIlanda Kunda cooperative, Cambo Sungingi cooperative and the Kabuto cooperative.

The first named coop exploration of diamonds in an area of 30 sq km, in the Kunda Dia-Base municipality; while the second and third named will covers 224 sq km and 160 sq km in the Kaombo municipality and the Xandel municipality respectively.

These concessions are valid for 12 months and may be extended for a further four years, the reports said.

The three cooperatives will have to provide technical and economic reports to the national diamond concessionaire, Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola (Endiama).