Alluvial mining at Xtract’s Manica project to start before month-end

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The first alluvial mining will start at Xtract Resources’ Manica project, in Mozambique, before the end of this month.

Xtract has, in recent months, signed mining contractor agreements with Omnia Mining and Sino Minerals Investment Company for the exploitation of alluvial gold deposits at the Manica concession.

Omnia has the exclusive right to mine the unconsolidated alluvial deposits on the western half of the permitted area of the mining concession for the next ten years, while Sino has the right to mine the alluvial deposits on the eastern half of the concession.

Xtract on Tuesday reported that almost all of Omnia’s equipment was already on site and being installed, while mining planning and logistical layouts were being developed. Omnia’s settling dams were also being excavated.

“Omnia Mining and Sino Minerals are aggressively pursuing development of the proposed mining operations on our Manica gold property. The work, to date, gives us confidence that operations will start on or before time and that the two operators are competent in this type of mining. We continue to pursue various financing and development proposals for the hard rock propositions,” Manica chairperson Colin Bird commented.