Limestone is a sedimentary rock made up mainly of calcium carbonate and is widely used in the chemical, iron and steel, paper, paint, food and plastic industries. It is also very important for the agricultural and construction sectors and is one of the most important and versatile industrial mineral rocks, notable for its high availability and relatively low cost.
With this in mind, the government has made it known that evaluation activities are underway to start exploiting the mineral resource in some districts of Gaza province, in the southern region of Mozambique.
According to the head of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, Jerónimo Mutisse, samples have already been taken and will be submitted for research to assess the quality of the ore in the districts of Massingir, Mabalane, Mapai, Chicuálacuala, Massangena and Chigubo.
‘If the results of the samples are positive, investors will be mobilised to exploit the limestone and make the province a reference point,’ he said, quoted by Radio Moçambique.
Mutisse assured that the satisfactory data will also open up space for cement factories to be set up in the region, which will help to develop the communities and create more jobs for many young people.
In June, the Jiangxi Bureau of Geology, an institution based in China, announced that it was preparing to start researching and investigating minerals in Gaza province, with the aim of assessing the quantity and quality of natural resources in that part of the country.
According to information released at the time, the work would be centred on assessing zircon, uranium and gold, with the positive results and their commercial value dictating the start of exploration and export.
