Angola: Endiama Sets Up Diamond Exploitation Cooperatives Nationwide

The Angolan Diamond Company (Endiama) is implanting countrywide semi- industrial diamond exploitation cooperatives, aiming at better organizing the activity in all production areas.

Contrary to the attribution process of the mining voucher implemented in 2010, whose goal was not achieved, due the fact that the equipment used in this sort of exploitation do not reach the necessary depth (gravel), as it was only utilized shovels, cutlass and pickaxes, provided that the new model to be implemented will integrate all small artisanal producers.

In this regard, 12 cooperatives operating in seven provinces have already been created, said to the press on Wednesday the ENDIAMA executive director, Luis Kitamba, when speaking about the strategy of boosting the extractive sector.

The created cooperatives only integrate Angolans that previously dedicated to artisanal exploitation of diamonds.

Fruit of the inclusion of citizens in exploitation cooperatives, more than 500 carats had been extracted in the country from 2013 to date by the 12 semi-industrial cooperatives already established in various provinces.

The industrial diamond production in the country is estimated at 9 million carats per year, but it can be increased to 13.3 million carats a year during 2017/2022.