Celebrities in mining

One of President Armando Guebuza’s advisors and a well-known doctor in Maputo have joined forces to obtain an exploration permit in the Manica province.

The eminent Maputo physician, Filipe Gaspar Matusse, is taking an interest in prospecting for precious stones and ores via the company Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Mineiro do Niassa (SDMN) that he created in February 2009 together with three partners. According to a source in the mining industry, the Mozambique national mining department could soon attribute SDMN a permit to search for tourmaline on plot 3133L, in the Barue district, Manica province. Matusse and his partners could also be attributed another permit, for plot 3135L, in the same region, also to search for tourmaline. Finally, SDMN is also a candidate for a third licence (3134L) to search for gold and other ores in the Macossa district, Manica province. Another prominent shareholder of Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Mineiro do Niassa is retired General Eduardo da Silva Nigia, an influential member of the ruling party Frelimo and advisor to President Armando Guebuza on matters of defence and security. This veteran of the national liberation struggle has been active in business for many years and has participated in founding a large number of companies during the last fifteen years (ION 1201). The other two shareholders in SDMN are Carlos Joao dos Santos Camurdine and Fernandes Antonio Manuel. Indian Ocean Newsletter - 04.07.2009