Mining industry in Mozambique

At present time, Mozambique is called the “Rising Star of South Africa” mainly due to the rapid development of its mining industry. Mineral resources sector of Mozambique is one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the country’s economy. China, Brazil and India have recently become the main partners for Mozambique. Recently, a number of projects is being implemented in the country, for example, Auroch Minerals Manica Gold in gold production. Increasing coal production is connected with commissioning of the Moatize open pit, which is being developed by Brazilian Vale Company, as well as Benga mining company owned by Indian ICVL consortium. The analysis of the extraction of certain mineral types in Mozambique presented in the paper demonstrates general picture of mining industry development in the country. The analysis findings allow identifying the causes of negative phenomena in the industry, manifesting themselves in decreasing production of certain types of minerals. For instance, the main reasons for the decline in coal production were dropping labor productivity, deterioration of mining conditions, and depletion of the most accessible coal reserves, extractable by open pit mining. In this regard, development of underground mining methods providing for opening of deep deposits by vertical shaft sets is highly relevant. The experience of the neighboring Republic of South Africa shows that, in the mining and geological conditions of the south of the African continent, highspeed shaft sinking methods accelerating deposit development can be successfully applied.