Maputo, Mozambique, 15 July – Irish company Kenmare Resources said Monday in Maputo it had started exporting amonite from its heavy minerals project in Moma, in Mozambique’s Nampula province, having already netted US$3 million in the first half from sales to Japan and the United States.

Some of the world’s most important heavy sand deposits were discovered in Mozambique and Moma will be the country’s first ilmenite ( iron titanium oxide) mine.

Once the Moma mine is fully operational, Kenmare Resources will be one of the top five titanium producers in the world.

Moma has the capacity to produce around 800,000 tonnes of ammonite per year, with the company planning to increase production to 1 million tonnes in 2009.

Kenmare Resources has projected it will produce 800,000 tonnes of ilmenite, 60,000 tonnes of zircon and 17,000 tonnes of rutilium per year over the next 20 years. (macauhub)