Companhia Siderúrgica do Chuchi (CSC) of Angola will begin exporting iron ore to China next week, the Angolan government says, citing CSC President Rui Silva.

The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas issued a written statement quoting Mr Silva as saying on Tuesday that a ship loaded with 60,000 tonnes of ore mined by CSC is due to leave the southwestern Angolan port of Saco-Mar next Monday.

Mr Silva said the shipment, worth US$6 million, was from the Cutato mine in southeastern Angola, where CSC has extracted 95,000 tonnes of iron ore.

All the ore mined there will be taken by train from Cuvango to the port of Saco-Mar to be exported, the ministry quotes Mr Silva as saying.