Angola Aiming For 10M Carat Output This Year

The country produced 9.36 million carats of diamonds in 2013 with a value of $1.28 billion.

Angola is targeting a rise in rough diamond production this year to 10 million carats, according to its mining minister.

“This year we have an ambitious target of 9.5 million carats in production and 550,000 carats in artisanal production, which means we have to produce 10 million carats,” said Geology and Mining Minister Francisco Queiroz.

Angola is the fourth-largest diamond producer in the world, behind Botswana, Russia and Canada, according to the Kimberley Process. 

Queiroz added that a huge maintenance process was carried out at the Catoca mine in April, according to Ventures Africa. The mine produces almost 90 percent of Angola’s diamonds.

Angola wants to encourage foreign investors to explore for diamonds in the country.

It has cut taxes and state ownership requirements and opened new zones for diamond exploration.