Seven investors buy geophysical data

Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining has said seven investors have bought the geophysical data derived from the nationwide high resolution airborne survey.

The geophysical survey conducted between September 2013 and August 2014 revealed that Malawi is sitting on vast reservoir of minerals.

The gazetting of the price was done last December and interested investors are supposed to pay K10 000 (about $14) to access a variety of geological maps.

The interested parties, which include exploration, mining and civil engineering companies, academicians and individuals have waited for six months from August last year to start accessing the data.

Geological Survey Department director Jalf Salima, in an interview this week, said the outcome shows that people were waiting for the data and are hopeful that more investors will come forward.

He said: “Clients can get the data and do their own interpretations and ground follow ups based on their interests. Such interpretations are usually for private use.

“Geological Survey Department has started preliminary interpretation of the data and some geophysical anomalies have been identified which need ground follow ups.

“The follow ups were conducted in Mchinji District with ground geophysical work.”

Reacting to the development on Wednesday, director of Citizens for Justice Reinford Mwangonde said there is more that can be done to popularise the   outcome of the data.

“As you know, that data has to be marketed to companies that are not currently in Malawi. Of course, the ministry has made an effort to market it through the Mining Indaba, which happened in South Africa in February,” he said.

The geo-physical survey was conducted under the mining governance and growth support project co-financed by World Bank and European Union. n