Angola's Mining Sector: Beyond Diamonds
Angola possesses one of Africa's richest and most underexplored mineral endowments. The country is the world's fourth-largest diamond producer by value, generating approximately $1.5–2 billion annually in diamond revenues. Yet diamonds represent only a fraction of Angola's mineral wealth. Geological surveys indicate significant deposits of iron ore, gold, copper, manganese, phosphates, rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, and industrial minerals across the country's 1.24 million square kilometers — much of which has never been systematically explored due to the 27-year civil war (1975–2002) and subsequent infrastructure limitations.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum, and Gas (MIREMPET) oversees the mining sector, with Endiama (Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola) serving as the state diamond company. Under President Lourenço's reform agenda, the mining sector is being positioned as a key diversification pillar — reducing Angola's dependence on petroleum revenues by developing a world-class mining industry with transparent governance and international investment participation.
Diamond Mining: The Catoca Complex & Beyond
Angola's diamond sector is anchored by the Catoca Diamond Mine in Lunda Sul Province — the world's fourth-largest kimberlite diamond mine by production volume. Operated by Sociedade Mineira de Catoca as a joint venture between Endiama (41%), Alrosa of Russia (41%), Odebrecht/Novonor (16%), and LL International (2%), Catoca has produced over 130 million carats since operations began in 1997. The mine processes approximately 10 million tonnes of ore annually through open-pit mining methods.
Beyond Catoca, Angola's diamond sector includes: the Lulo Diamond Project (operated by Lucapa Diamond Company in partnership with Endiama and Rosas & Pétalas), which has produced some of the world's largest and highest-quality diamonds including the 404-carat "4th February Stone"; the Luaxe kimberlite, discovered adjacent to the Catoca complex, which represents potentially the world's largest diamond deposit by resources; and numerous alluvial diamond operations across the Lundas, Malanje, and Bié provinces. Angola is a participating member of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, ensuring conflict-free diamond trade.
Iron Ore: The Cassinga Revival
The Cassinga iron ore deposits in Huíla Province represent one of Angola's most significant non-diamond mineral assets. With estimated reserves exceeding 1 billion tonnes of high-grade iron ore, Cassinga was actively mined during the colonial era — producing approximately 6 million tonnes annually and exporting through the Port of Namibe via the Moçâmedes Railway. Mining operations were destroyed during the civil war, and the site has remained inactive since 1975.
Rehabilitation of the Cassinga mines is a government priority, with feasibility studies examining the capital requirements for mine redevelopment, rail rehabilitation, and port upgrades. The global iron ore market — dominated by exports from Australia and Brazil to Chinese steel mills — offers significant revenue potential if Cassinga can be brought back to production. The Lobito Corridor railway rehabilitation could eventually provide an alternative export route, though the primary Cassinga logistics chain runs south to Namibe rather than west to Lobito.
Critical Minerals: The Lobito Corridor Opportunity
The Lobito Atlantic Railway Corridor has transformed Angola's mining narrative from a diamond-centric story into a critical minerals supply chain narrative with global strategic significance. The $4+ billion corridor, backed by the United States, EU, and G7 partners, will connect Angola's Atlantic Port of Lobito through the DRC to Zambia's Copperbelt — creating a Western-aligned export route for copper, cobalt, lithium, manganese, and other minerals essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy technology, and defense applications.
For Angola specifically, the Lobito Corridor creates opportunities to develop domestic mineral deposits along the railway route, position Lobito as a critical minerals processing and export hub, attract investment from Western mining companies seeking supply chain diversification from Chinese-controlled channels, and develop associated infrastructure (power, water, logistics) that benefits broader economic development. The corridor represents a paradigm shift — positioning Angola not just as a transit country but as a participant in the global critical minerals value chain.
Gold, Copper & Rare Earths
Angola's non-diamond mineral sector includes emerging exploration programs across several commodity classes:
Gold: Artisanal gold mining exists in several provinces, particularly Huíla, Bié, and Cabinda. Formal exploration programs by international companies are identifying targets for industrial gold mining operations. Angola's geological setting — within the broader Central African gold belt — suggests significant undiscovered potential.
Copper: Copper mineralization has been identified in multiple locations, with exploration activity focused on deposits in Huíla and Namibe provinces. The global demand for copper (driven by electrification and renewable energy) makes Angolan copper deposits increasingly attractive.
Rare Earth Elements: Preliminary geological surveys have identified potential rare earth mineralization in Angola. Given the global strategic importance of rare earths (used in electronics, electric motors, and defense systems) and the current Chinese dominance of rare earth supply chains, Angolan deposits could attract significant strategic investment.
Endiama: The State Diamond Company
Endiama E.P. (Empresa Nacional de Diamantes de Angola) is the state entity responsible for Angola's diamond sector. Endiama holds concession rights over diamond resources and participates in mining operations through joint ventures with international partners. Under the reform agenda, Endiama has been directed to improve corporate governance, increase transparency, and optimize its JV portfolio. The company is involved in exploration, production, and marketing of Angolan diamonds, working with international partners including Alrosa, De Beers, Lucapa Diamond Company, and others.
Mining Code & Investment Framework
Angola's mining sector is governed by the Mining Code (Lei dos Recursos Geológicos e Mineiros), last updated in 2011 with amendments in 2015. The code establishes the framework for mineral rights, licensing, fiscal terms, environmental requirements, and local content obligations. Key features include: exploration licenses valid for up to 5 years (renewable), mining licenses for up to 35 years, fiscal terms including royalties (varying by mineral), corporate income tax, and surface fees, environmental impact assessment requirements, and mandatory Angolan participation (typically through state entities).
For international investors, the mining sector offers: a largely unexplored geological province with proven mineral wealth, government commitment to mining as a diversification sector, improving infrastructure (roads, rail, power), and the strategic Lobito Corridor creating new logistics possibilities. Risks include: regulatory framework still evolving, infrastructure gaps in remote mineral provinces, local content requirements, and competition for investment from more established African mining jurisdictions (DRC, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania).
Outlook: Mining as Angola's Second Pillar
The Angolan government has set an ambitious target to increase mining's contribution to GDP from approximately 2% to 10% by 2030. Achieving this requires: accelerated geological survey and mapping programs, new licensing rounds for strategic minerals, investment in mining-related infrastructure (power, water, transport), reform of the mining code to improve competitiveness, development of artisanal mining formalization programs, and creation of mineral processing capacity to capture value-addition domestically. The Lobito Corridor provides the strategic infrastructure backbone that could make this vision achievable — transforming Angola from a petroleum monoculture into a diversified resource economy.
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For related intelligence across the Angola Digital Network, see: Angola Leaks (Endiama governance), Angola 2050 (Lobito Corridor), Angolan Government (mining policy), Capacita Angola (mining workforce).