Ethiopia suspended the production of tantalum concentrate at the Kenticha Tantalum Mine. The Ethiopian Minerals Development Enterprise stopped the production of tantalum to support the manufacture of value added tantalum products as per instructions from the Ministry of Mines.
The ban could also be due to the increasing contamination with uranium, a radioactive element, which is making it impossible to ship the raw material.
The uranium contaminated mineral has been mined by local traditional miners with no negative health consequences reported as of yet explained Traditional Mining Department of the MoM.
Ethiopia has exported more than 154 tons of tantalum to the international market in just the last ten months according to the Ministry of Mines.The tantalum exports earned an estimated 7 million US dollars in revenue said Bacha Fuji, Director of Public Relations with the Ministry.
The amount earned exceeds the amount raised during the same time in the previous financial year by 4 million US dollars according to Bacha.
In related news Ethiopia has more than 300 million tons of coal deposits in various parts of the country according to the Geological Survey.
Studies conducted by the survey over a range of time has shown that the nation has large mineral reserves including coal said Masresha Gebre Silassie, Director General of the Survey.
Activities have been launched to mine the coal deposits in Chilga, Delbimoyo, Qunzila and Yayu sites that have been marked as potentially having the resource he said.
The mineral resources can be utilized in manufacture cement, fertilizer and steel explained Masresha.
The Survey plans to map out 20 potential sites while 12 sites have been mapped out in the West.
Source: The Reporter
