Construction Commences on Main Part of the Project of Longonguo Rare Earth Mine in Angola

According to Mining Weekly, London-listed company Pensana announced that the main construction work for its Longonjo rare earth project in Angola has commenced, following the receipt of $25 million in mine financing from the Fundo Soberano de Angola (Angola's sovereign wealth fund).

The construction team, led by project manager Kevin Botha, a South African project management professional, has already initiated key procurement and engineering contracts.

Engineering service providers Pro-Process and ADP (Lycopodium RSA) have been officially appointed and have commenced their activities.

Pensana noted that site preparation was completed earlier this year, allowing the construction plan to progress smoothly.

The main contractor, Grupo Nov, has commenced operations, with on-site personnel expanded to over 100 and additional earthmoving equipment deployed to complete the terracing work for the production plant area.

"The commencement of major construction activities marks a critical milestone for this six-year project," said CEO Tim George.

He noted that the project has gotten off to a good start, thanks to the efforts of the team led by Geraldine Tchimbali, manager of the Angola branch, and Benedito Dumbo, on-site team manager.

With the engineering and construction teams in action, significant progress is expected in the coming weeks.

Over the past six years, Pensana has invested over $70 million in exploration, technical, and environmental assessment work for the Longonjo project.