AVZ Minerals Ltd has advised its 100% owned DRC subsidiary company, Nyuki Logistics Company SASU, has secured a renewable 25-year lease on a 1227 ha. site located approximately 4 km south-east of the regional town of Kabondo Dianda.
The site will host the Kabondo Dianda Intermodal Staging Station, which forms a vital part of AVZ’s logistics infrastructure plan to export finished products produced from the Manono Lithium and Tin Operation (MLTO), for export to global markets.
Nyuki was formed as a dedicated logistics arm for MLTO, responsible for commercial and operational management of MLTO’s logistics requirements, including road haulage, rail and port services and logistics infrastructure maintenance, under a service agreement with Dathcom Mining SA.
AVZ’s Managing Director, Nigel Ferguson, said: “Signing the agreement to lease industrial land at Kabondo Dianda is another important milestone in the company’s logistics plan, which will see MLTO’s finished products, exported through the ports of Lobito in Angola and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
“Our Nyuki Logistics team has visited Kabondo Dianda several times to conduct community meetings with key local stakeholders. These meetings have resulted in successful ESIA’s being approved for the rehabilitation of the road from Manono, the proposed new ferry crossing site, material handling site and depot for both finished products being exported to global markets and in-bound consumables and materials, bound for MLTO and the greater community.”
“Our team met with the caretaker Governor of Haut-Lomami and his advisors last week, to discuss the project, who are excited by the many benefits our collaboration will bring to the town – from improvements to provincial infrastructure and employment opportunities for local people.”
Meetings were also held with local indigenous chiefs to further discuss their people’s specific needs and involvement in the project.
“Investment in and around the area of Kabonda Dianda, has been limited in recent times and the improved rail and road access, should assist to empower the community to realise sustained economic development opportunities, improving their social well-being,” Ferguson concluded.