Mozambique Mining: MV Mining starts prospecting for rare earths

Mozambican company MV Mining has, since mid-October, been involved in the search for rare-earth deposits in Marromeu district, in the central province of Sofala, the district administrator told Mozambican newspaper Diário de Moçambique, published in the city of Beira.

Joaquim Arota told the newspaper that the prospecting work is ongoing in the villages of Mponda and Amambos, both located on the banks of the Zambezi River, in the administrative post of Chupanga.

The district administrator said the project is regarded as “the second salvation” in terms of job creation, after Companhia do Sena, one of Mozambique’s four sugar producers.

It is estimated that approximately 97% of rare earths are located in Asia, particularly in China, which is the location two thirds of global reserves and 87% of the total traded across the world.

Rare earths are a relatively abundant group of 17 elements in the periodic table, whose chemical and physical properties, particularly their malleability and ductility, make them useful for a variety of applications, including electronics. (source: Macauhub)