Maputo, Mozambique, 8 April – The Government of Mozambique has decided to postpone until October the license for prospecting heavy minerals in Chibuto, Gaza province, at the request of Australia’s BHP Billiton, Mozambican daily newspaper, Notícias reported.

The paper added that the information was recently provided by Mining Resources Minister, Esperança Bias, during a two-day working visit to that part of the country. The postponement is intended to give time for appropriate technology to be found to implement the project.

The paper also reported that Bias said the decision aimed to give investors the opportunity to definitively take a position in relation to the future of the mine.

If that did not happen, the minister said, the Government would have to take on the responsibility of finding other potential investors for Chibuto, noting that the region had proven heavy minerals in excellent quantity. (macauhub)