Minister at Chibuto mine as port decision looms, visits Chongoene airport | Mozambique

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Minister at Chibuto mine as port decision looms, visits Chongoene airport | Mozambique

8:55 CAT | 25 Apr 2023

Photo: Ministério dos Transportes e Comunicações

Mozambique’s transport and communications sector will implement new solutions to improve the logistics of transporting mineral resources extracted at the Chibuto heavy sands mine, Minister of Transport and Communications Mateus Magala announced on Friday at the end of a visit to the mine and to the site identified for the construction of Chongoene port in Gaza province.

The managers of the Chibuto heavy sands mine, Chinese-owned company Dingsheng Minerals, had raised concern about the need to find better logistical solutions for the ores extracted in that mine.

In response, Minister Magala reported that the evaluation of the concessionaire’s request for the construction of the Chongoene port has already been concluded, and would be presented to the Council of Ministers shortly. He also said that the construction of a railway branch linking the Chibuto mine to the Limpopo railway line was being studied.

The concerns of the Chibuto mine management arise from the fact that the road linking Chibuto to Maputo port, which is temporarily being used, raises transport costs, in addition to having other negative impacts such as congestion and road degradation.

Minister Magala was in Gaza province on Thursday and Friday ( 21-22/04) updating on the implementation of the sector’s main projects and challenges in the province.

In Gaza, the minister held meetings in Xai-xai and in Chongoene and Chibuto districts, and inspected the production process of the Chibuto heavy sands mine and associated logistics. He also learned about the Filipe Jacinto Nyusi Airport and Aeroportos de Moçambique’s (AdM) perspectives for the profitability of this new and imposing infrastructure.

The minister was accompanied by AdM chairman, Américo Muchanga, ministry staff, and personnel from Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique and the Port of Maputo.