About US$50m will be invested by a ste-run Chinese engineering group in the installation of a new cement factory at Kicombo, in Angola's Central Kwanza-Sul Province, according to local news sources. According to the Director of the Ministry of Geology and Mining, Joao Diogo, the installation of the factory will start in the second half of 2004 and will create 300 new jobs. At the same time South Korean interests (linked to South African specialists) are said to be engaged in exploratory work for a new cement plant at Cuacra, in the Sumbe region. Exploratory drilling work has apparently identified suitable raw materials and approval is now awaited from Angola's cabinet.