Africa Mining: Angola to build another diamond cutting plant by 2019

A diamond cutting and polishing plant will be installed from February 2019 in Saurimo, the chief executive of Angolan diamond trading company Sodiam announced on Wednesday.

Neves Silva said that the plant, which fits into the company’s strategic plan for the 2018/2022 five-year period, will have the capacity in the first phase to process 4,000 carats of rough diamonds per month.

The chief executive said that the plant, which will start operating in August next year, is currently estimated to cost US$10 million and will be the unit with the highest installed capacity in Angola.

In addition to the plant, the construction of an Industrial Development Hub in an initial area of five hectares, which will have a training centre, a hotel owned by state diamond exploration company Endiama and other services such as banks and a tax office.

Neves Silva also said that the contract will be made in partnership between Sodiam and Chinese companies Cbritec and Perfect Wealth Ltd, and will be built near Sociedade Mineira da Catoca.

Angola already has a diamond polishing factory, called Angola Polishing Diamonds, where national jewellery production lines are created. (macauhub)