The government wants to review mining legislation by the end of this year. The measure aims to prevent national mining products from continuing to be exported raw.

"Almost all of our mining projects export raw products and that's what we want to change," said Silvino Moreno, Minister of Industry and Trade.

The source, who was speaking to national journalists in Gaberone on the sidelines of the US-Africa Business Summit, said that the information had already been sent to suppliers so that "they can prepare to add value to the products".

Moreno pointed to the heavy sands projects in Chibuto (Gaza) and Moma (Nampula) as examples, which should already be processing products for the paint industry.