South Sudan will delay the start of gold mining by a year
from its planned date in 2016, due to fighting between rival political groups
in the world’s newest country, reports Engineering News.
South Sudan is attempting to diversify its economy away from
oil by exploiting its gold deposits. It may also have reserves of other
minerals such as copper, uranium and clay, which it hopes to exploit with the
help of investors. ‘There are a lot of applications coming in ... not only for
gold but also copper, marble and limestone from Kapoeta (town) for production
of cement,’ Andu Ezbon Adde, undersecretary for mining in the Ministry of
Petroleum and Mining, said following a meeting with Australian government
officials.
Loisa Cass, first secretary at the Australian High
Commission in Juba, said South Sudan’s mining sector had potential but required
legislation to create a legal foundation.
Source: Engineering News
