Mozambique: Government threatens to cancel unused gold mining licenses
The Mozambican government requires more work from companies licensed to mine for gold and other metals in the country, such as nickel, aluminum, copper, zinc and lead, and has threatened to cancel the licenses for those who are not with them.
Mineral Resources Minister Esperanca Bias on Wednesday noted that many companies were granted licenses but are not in the area, while others do not comply with the legislation for the mining industry.
Speaking in Maputo, during a meeting with representatives of companies licensed to mine gold and other metals, bias, said that those companies which do not follow the law May their licenses revoked.
“The interest of the government is not to impose fines or the revocation of licenses,” she told the participants. “What we want is to see concrete work in the field. It is important that you work on and submit your activity report, according to the law.”
The Mozambican government has 296 mining licenses to 115 companies in order for the metal deposits, but many of them have nothing with the licenses until recently. But now, many of them have begun, but the results are only expected within a few years.
“Most of the licensed mining companies are still at the stage of exploration and research,” said the deputy director of the National Mines, Obete Matime. “Some areas are showing a very good minerals, which means that soon there mining for gold and other metals.”
Only the company “Agrupamento Mineiro de Mocambique ‘is the time for gold-mining on an industrial scale, in the central province of Manica, where there is great potential that is still underutilized.
Mining for gold in the country is mainly through informal small prospectors, and the idea behind the licensing of companies is to reduce the illegal prospecting, to severe losses for the state, damaged the environment and endangered the lives of the artisanal miners themselves.