The new facility will be located in Chongoene and will handle shipments of so-called ‘heavy sands’ to China, the biggest market for Mozambique’s minerals.

The Mozambique government has authorised the construction of a new port terminal in the south of the country for the export of heavy sands to China.

Heavy sands are dune, beach or riverine deposits enriched with minerals such as ​​zirconium, titanium, tungsten, rare-earth elements, and occasionally precious metals or gemstones

According to Portugal’s Lusa news agency, China’s Desheng Port company and local firm Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) will build and operate the facility in the district of Chongoene, Gaza province.

Financial backing will come from Chinese company Dingsheng Minerals, which has been exploring heavy sands in Chibuto, a neighbouring district, since 2018.

“They need an area that facilitates access to the sea and are going to invest in Chongene”, Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane said last year.

Dingsheng currently operates a US$700 million processing plant in Chibuto. Occupying an area of 3,000 hectares, the facility comprises two production lines with the capacity to process 10,000 tonnes of minerals a day – mostly titanium ore.