Uije, Angola, Oct. 29, 2025 (Lusa) - The Angolan Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas on Wednesday described the inauguration of the Tetelo copper mine, Angola’s first underground mine, in the north western province of Uíje, as “an act of strategic vision”.
Diamantino Azevedo, speaking at the inauguration of the Tetelo copper mine, said that when reserves and operational scale justify it, the country will evaluate the installation of copper processing and refining capacity within the country.
The venture, a Sino-Angolan partnership, is located in the municipality of Maquela do Zombo, in the province of Uíje, and is the first mine of this mineral created after the country’s independence in 1975.
“The copper produced here, copper concentrate, is not ready for local consumption, so it will be exported to places where there are the appropriate mechanisms to be processed into intermediate and final products,” he said.
Speaking to the press, Diamantino Azevedo said that with the opening of this mine, other companies are already showing interest in this mineral.
The “Tetelo” mine, a project developed by Shining Star Icarus (SSI), SU, Limited, with an investment of US$305 million (€262.4 million), has an estimated useful life of 14 years, with a processing capacity of 4,000 tonnes of ore per day and daily production of 300 tonnes of copper concentrate, with an average recovery rate of 92%.
The Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas said that with the inauguration of the mine, the country is affirming “its economic sovereignty”.
“Angola is entering the era of critical minerals of the 21st century with authority. It is proof that we are not just remembering the past, we are courageously building a bright future for our people,” he said.
According to Diamantino Azevedo, the project developed by Shining Star Icarus (SSI), SU, Limited - a partnership between China’s Shining Star International Group and Sociedade Mineira de Cobre de Angola - began in 2008 and the feasibility study was completed in 2018.
The Angolan minister emphasised that copper is now one of the most strategic metals on the planet, indispensable for electric vehicles, smart energy networks, batteries, solar energy, electric mobility, data centres and the digital industry.
The minister said that the exploration and development of other minerals important for the energy transition, such as lithium, rare earths, phosphates and niobium, are underway in the provinces of Namibe, Huambo, Cabinda and Huíla.
"We are no longer just participating, we are competing for a strategic leadership position. And we are doing this with responsibility, predictability and a commitment to sustainable national development," he stressed.
Diamantino Azevedo pointed out that only a third of the concession is being developed, with much still to be explored.
For his part, the chairman of SSI’s executive committee, Yan Yu, said that they want this project to be a model for foreign investment in the metals sector in Angola, attracting more capital and more technology, boosting the national economy.
NME/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
