Nong Delian, general manager of Chinese miner Hwazhou Group, Julien Nkoghe Bekale, minister of mines of Gabon, and Magloire Ngambia, Gabon's commerce minister, lately signed a mining rights agreement for the development of the M'Bembele manganese mine in Gabon, west central Africa.
Hwazhou Group, a subsidiary company of CITIC Dameng Mining Industries Limited, indicated it will invest €61 million to develop the M'Bembele manganese mine located southeast of Libreville, the capital of Gabon.
Hwazhou Group plans to mine 800,000-900,000 mt of manganese ore at the mine in the first two years, with annual output increasing to 1.04 million mt for the subsequent 30 years.
The mine will employ 255 local people and 85 Chinese personnel.
At present, mine and transportation facilities are still under construction. Production at the mine is expected to start at the end of 2010.