Mozambique to issue more coal licences by 2012

By Charles Mangwiro
MAPUTO (Reuters) - Mozambique will issue more coal exploration licences in three provinces between this year and 2012, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
National Mining Director in the Mineral Resources Ministry Eduardo Alexandre told Reuters foreign firms from North America, Europe and Asia will be invited.
"We hope to issue at least five exploration licences this year and next in the provinces of Tete, Niassa and Cabo Delgado in the northern regions of Mozambique," Alexandre said in an interview.
"We have areas where there is a potential existence of coal in the provinces of Niassa, Tete and Cabo Delgado."
The resource-rich state with vast, untapped coal deposits has so far granted 105 licences for research and exploration of mineral resources.
Australia's Riversdale, India's Tata Steel, Brazil's Vale are looking to exploit coal in the country with billions of tonnes of mineable coal.