The remnants from a brutal 27-year civil war in the southern African country of Angola are still littered throughout its capital city, Luanda. Under a new project, an abundance of scrap metal from decommissioned tanks and weaponry is being collected and recycled into steel at the country’s first steel mill — and the largest in west and central Africa — which recently started operations at the $300 million Aceria de Angola (ADA) facility, about 25 miles north of Luanda, reports CNN.
The project is the work of French businessman Georges Choucair, chairman of K2L Capital, who has worked in Angola for more than 20 years in a diverse range of businesses before becoming the country's main steel importer (Angola currently relies on imports for steel). He estimates that domestic demand for steel is around 400,000 tons per year, which will increase with population and associated development needs. He claims the new mill will produce 280,000 tons in its first year and then 500,000 tons per year thereafter, which could significantly lower the cost of construction projects.
"I believe that by 2020 we will have the capacity to supply, not import," says Choucair. "Angola can be a hub of Africa, and even South America."
To learn more, read the full article at CNN.com.