An exporter of precious minerals and tantalum, Great Wall, is engaged in discussions with international firms to partner in exploration and extraction of precious minerals in Ethiopia.
Great Wall is talking to currently undiclosed Chinese and Turkish companies interested in deep pit mining for Agate, Amber, Amazonite and Tormaline when the stay on mining licenses in Ethiopia is lifted.
The exporter is also in negotiations for a collaborative venture to explore, extract and export Tantalum and Quartz with other, unnamed, Chinese and Turkish companies.
It is expected that gemstones, to be used in jewelry, will be mined in the Haraeghe and Negele Borena areas in Oromia Regional State according to Seifen Mohammed, Managing Director of Great Wall Gemstone and Tantalum Exporter Company.Great Wall is engaged in collecting and exporting minerals from the Western region of Ethiopia. The company has exported an estimated 350 thousand US dollars worth of Tantalum this financial year.
The company exported two grades of Tantalum totaling three tons said Seifen. The lower grade Tantalum earned about 120,000 US dollars and the higher quality tantalum earned an estimated revenue of 230,000 US dollars he noted.
Great Wall exported Tantalum worth about 200,000 US dollars in the previous fiscal year. The company plans to export 60-70 tons of tantalum with a value of 1.6 million US dollars every year.
The company also hopes to export less expensive minerals like Feldspar, Kaolin and Dolomite to be used in construction in India and Turkey said Seifen.
Great Wall has exclusively exported to China since its founding in April of 2011.
Source: Capital
